National Council to appeal to European regulators over Hungary's blocking of 12 Ukrainian media outlets

The National Council is preparing an appeal to the Head of the European Platform for Regulatory Authorities (EPRA), Ms. Stefania Comi, over the ban on a number of Ukrainian resources in Hungary. About this it says in a statement by the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting.

The National Council emphasized that the Hungarian government's decision to block access to 12 Ukrainian media outlets is "a serious violation of the right to information and a dangerous precedent for the European media space."

The media regulator noted that Ukraine is blocking precisely those resources that "work to undermine the state's defense capabilities," acting openly and with the possibility of judicial appeal.

"Russian information warfare is part of an all-out war against our statehood, and protecting the information space is a matter of national security," the statement said.

The regulator also noted that the blocking of independent Ukrainian publications in Hungary was explained by their critical coverage of private foundations.

"When the state uses the mechanisms of blocking foreign media not to protect against military propaganda, but as a reaction to critical journalism about non-state actors, it goes beyond any acceptable regulatory practices," the National Council emphasized.

The Ukrainian media regulator called on the European community to clearly distinguish between protection against propaganda of the aggressor state and political censorship.

The regulator has also asked international institutions to assess the situation from the standpoint of protecting the right of citizens to access various sources of information.

"Ukrainian journalists are working under fire, risking their lives on the front line, and dying while fulfilling their professional mission. The blocking of their materials by an EU member state under false pretenses is not just a diplomatic incident – it is a fundamental question of whether Europe retains the ability to distinguish between journalism and propaganda, protection and censorship, principles and political expediency," the National Council summarized.

• september 29 Budapest blocked 12 Ukrainian media outlets in response to Ukraine's earlier restriction of access to several pro-Russian and pro-government websites in Hungary.
• The Foreign Ministry reacted to Hungary's decision, saying that Ukraine restricts Russian propaganda, while Orban's government bans it access to fact-based journalism.