MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Wednesday, the European Parliament voted in favor of a resolution on countering Russian media outlets, such as the Sputnik news agency and the RT broadcaster.
"We are not surprised at all by shameful resolution of the European Parliament…This Resolution represents rude violation of human rights, freedom of speech and freedom of press. European Union is becoming increasingly totalitarian with suppression of national, cultural and economic independence of European nations, and suppression of freedom of the media and the right to be informed is integral part of this totalitarian project, which will inevitably soon be over," Bosko Obradovic said.
He stressed that Dveri party opposed the resolution and that its members planned to deliberate on this matter in the Serbian Parliament.
The lawmaker also stressed the important role that Sputnik news agency played in the European and world's media space.
"Sputnik has brought fresh air and light on the dark media sky both in Serbia and in the World and contributed to the objectivity and spreading the truth in informing the entire mankind," he said.
As many as 304 voted in favor the document, 179 voted against and 208 abstained. With a total of 691 officials taking part in the vote, less than half supported the resolution, which draws parallel between Russian media and the propaganda disseminated by the Islamic State, a jihadist group outlawed in Russia.
Sputnik responded by calling the move a direct violation of media freedom and human rights, while Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the matter by pointing out that the document indicates a degradation of democracy in the West. Praising Sputnik and RT for their work, the president expressed hope that real media restrictions would not follow.
