The Ukrainian authorities should be careful with fighting propaganda, as the line between this kind of fight and limitations on free speech is very thin, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli has said.
“It is a very thin line and I am not an expert who can say what this line should be. This is a very delicate and sensitive issue,” the ambassador said when Kyiv-based Interfax asked him to draw a line between the fight against propaganda and limitations on the ability of media outlets to express their point of view.
The European Union understands that Ukraine is deterring a disinformation campaign, which is part of hybrid warfare, but at the same time the Ukrainian authorities’ decision to block a number of Russian online resources, including the VKontakte and Odnoklassniki social media, should not limit free speech, he said.
“This should not lead the Ukrainian authorities to restrict the freedom of information in the country. We have to look into details and if these measures restrict the freedom of information, so we will ask the Ukrainian authorities to review these measure,” Mingarelli said.
