Austria summons Ukrainian ambassador after journalist Christian Wehrschütz banned entry to Ukraine
The Ukrainian ambassador in Vienna, Olexander Scherba, was summoned to the Austrian Foreign Ministry because of a one-year ban for Austrian journalist Christian Wehrschütz to enter Ukraine.
According to the report published on the Austrian Foreign Ministry’s website, the Ukrainian ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry for a talk with the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Johannes Peterlik, reports Interfax-Ukraine.
"Peterlik demanded to lift the entry ban, imposed by the Ukrainian authorities, as well as the accreditation of the ORF correspondent Christian Wehrschütz in the conflict zone on the Ukrainian side,” reads the Foreign Ministry’s statement.
In addition, the diplomat demanded proof of allegations against the journalist.
“We are deeply concerned about the Ukrainian government actions. This is an unacceptable unilateral act of censorship incompatible with the values and principles of the Association Agreement with the European Union,” stated the representatives of the Austrian Foreign Ministry’s press service.
Johannes Peterlik pointed out that the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Desir, also called for the entry ban to be lifted. “We are determined that Christian Wehrschütz should continue to broadcast from Ukraine as the ORF correspondent without any unacceptable restrictions,” he said.
Recall that the Security Service of Ukraine has banned the head of the Ukrainian bureau of the Austrian television channel ORF, Christian Wehrschütz, from entering the country for one year.