The Foreign Ministry appreciated Moldova’s decision to block Russian-language portals

Blocking 22 Russian-language portals in Moldova is a hostile step on the part of the authorities of this country, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. She is quoted by RIA Novosti.

According to Zakharova, the Moldovan authorities are once again demonstrating a “thoughtless anti-Russian course.” She also noted that official Chisinau intends to oust Russian-language content and media from the information space of Moldova, and in the future, to completely suppress any dissent and disagreement with its own political course.

Zakharova also pointed out that the Moldovan authorities are blocking Russian-language portals less than two weeks before the general local elections in the country, and noted the connection of this step with the low popularity of representatives of the country’s leadership. According to her, Chisinau intends to improve its rating by making accusations against Moscow regarding “interference in the elections.”

The diplomat also called the measures of the Moldovan authorities a gross violation of freedom of speech and the rights of the country’s citizens to access information in Russian. She noted that most of the residents of Moldova speak Russian.

Earlier it was reported that the websites of 22 Russian media outlets were blocked under the pretext of “fighting disinformation,” including the website of Channel One, NTV, RT, TV channels Rossiya 1, Mir, Zvezda and REN TV. Previously, the Sputnik Moldova website was blocked, as well as the station’s radio broadcasts. Local authorities also suspended the licenses of opposition and leading Russian-language television channels, accusing them of “unfair coverage” of events in Moldova and Ukraine.