“Latvian authorities act as if Latvia and Russia were in a state of war, and at the same time they ask
Russian side to halt the decline in cargo traffic volume and try to increase
export of food to the Russian Federation”, said Elena Panina
Elena Vladimirovna
, a member of the Committee
on International Affairs, commenting the detention of journalists cooperating
with Sputnik Latvia and Baltnews.
Sputnik news agency earlier reported that Russian-speaking Latvian journalists, including those who cooperate with on-line media Baltnews and Sputnik Latvia, were charged under the article on violating the EU sanctions regime, their homes were searched, and a travel ban was issued. According to the news agency, the charges were brought under article 84 of the Latvian Criminal Law — violation of the EU sanctions regime punishable with financial penalties or subject to a prison term. Sputnik Latvia and Baltnews cooperate with International News Agency “Rossiya Segodnya”. However, those Latvian journalists only cooperate with news agencies and are not their employees, as they are freelance journalists.
“Latvian authorities act as if Latvia and Russia were in a state of war, and at the same time they ask Russian side to halt the decline in cargo traffic volume and try to increase export of food to the Russian Federation, and especially alcoholic production. We need to assess better political factors when we review our economic activities. If Latvian actions continue to be so aggressive and offensive, Russia still can manage without Latvian alcohol. You should not give market preferences to those who consider us enemies,” Elena Panina told journalists.
According to her, that was not just a single case, but part of a deliberate repressive campaign against journalists, experts and political figures, who have “wrong views”.
“Such campaign has been carried out for many years in Eastern Europe, and its victims are not only pro-Russian figures, but also those who have cautious, neutral views, or do not support the idea that Russia is an enemy,” the parliamentarian said.
She noted that such attacks on journalists had become common.
“It is worth recalling the events with Kirill Vyshinsky in Kiev, the criminal cases against his colleagues in Estonia. The situation shows that soon the fact of cooperation with the Russian media will be considered as a crime in countries that are controlled by the Western bloc,” the member of the State Duma said.
According to Elena Panina, only the naive people continue to believe that all these events are “local overkills”, but “we can see a trail of global players giving instructions to their vassals”.
“While we are discussing whether or not it is necessary to amend a law on foreign agents to add in the list individuals who are funded from abroad, everyone, who is pro-Russian or is blamed to be pro-Russian, is under attack in the Western states,” the parliamentarian stressed.
