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President Putin

MOSCOW. – Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday slammed the EU parliament resolution against Russian media. He said Europe is trying to “teach” Russia democracy.MEPs in Strasbourg have voted on a non-legislative resolution which calls for the EU to “respond to information warfare by Russia.”

RT and Sputnik news agency are alleged to be among the most dangerous “tools of Russian propaganda.”

The EU Parliament’s resolution is an “evident sign of degradation of the Western society’s vision of democracy,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday, commenting on the vote.

“If such a decision (of the European Parliament on the fight against Russian media) is adopted, it says that we see a quite obvious degradation in the political sense of this word of the vision of democracy in the Western society,” he said.

Putin pointed out that while “everyone tries to lecture” Russia on democracy, European lawmakers themselves resort to a policy of restrictions, “which is not the best way” to deal with any issues.

Adding that he hopes the Western move to “counter Russian propaganda” won’t lead to serious restrictions, the president congratulated RT and Sputnik journalists on their work.

Written by a Polish member of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, Anna Fotyga, the report alleged that Moscow aims to “incite fear and divide Europe,” and called for the establishment of measures to tackle the perceived Russian propaganda threat.

The report suggests that Moscow provides financial support to opposition parties and organisations in EU member states, causing disintegration within the bloc.

The document also places Russian media organisations alongside terrorist groups such as Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).

Sputnik has already appealed to the UN, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and a number of international journalists’ organisations and NGOs, including Reporters Without Borders, to take measures to stop what it considers to be interference into freedom of speech in the EU.

“The resolution hits straight at a number of respected media, including Sputnik agency, and has an aim to stop their activity in the EU. Moreover, the resolution bluntly contradicts the EU’s own human rights and freedom of press norms,” reads the letter signed by Sputnik Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan.

Before the vote, the document had been criticised by some MEPs, who called it both “insane” and “ridiculous.”

The EU “desperately needs an enemy, be it Russia or any other,” that it can blame for any of its own failures, French MEP Jean-Luc Schaffhaueser told RT.

Spanish MEP Javier Couso Permuy said “it fosters hysteria against Russia,” while British MEP James Carver noted the report is “worryingly reminiscent of the Cold War.”

Moscow earlier said it would be forced to take reciprocal steps to the EU lawmakers’ “unfriendly actions.”

Putin also added that he hoped common sense will prevail and there would be no real restrictions concerning the work of Russian media. – RT/Sputnik News.