Cyprus on Wednesday denounced the Russian government’s decision to block access to over 80 European media outlets, including the Cyprus Mail, a move the European Union condemned as a “totally unfounded decision”.

Government spokesman, Konstantinos Letymbiotis charged that the decision of the Russian government “blatantly conflicts with the principles and values upon which democracy and the pluralism that strengthens it are based”.

“Access to free and independent information, freedom of opinion and expression, the reception and transmission of information, and freedom of the press serve as converging principles, as individual rights, but at the same time as pillars for the foundation and safeguarding of democracy,” he said.

Earlier, the European Union also condemned “the totally unfounded decision” to ban 25 European media.

“The decision further restricts access to free and independent information and expands the already severe media censorship in Russia,” the EU’s foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The banned European media work according to journalistic principles and standards. They give factual information, also to Russian audiences, including on Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine,” he said.

Borrell pointed out that, “in contrast, the Russian disinformation and propaganda outlets, against which the EU has introduced restrictive measures, do not represent a free and independent media.”

He added that Russia’s broadcasting activities in the EU were suspended because these outlets were under the control of the Russian authorities and instrumental in supporting the war of aggression against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the journalists’ union (UCJ) also condemned on Wednesday Russia’s ban on Cyprus media.

They described the ban as “condemnable and deeply undemocratic, whoever it is imposed by, whichever media it concerns”.

“The decision by the Russian foreign ministry to ban 81 electronic western media, including three from Cyprus – Politis, Cyprus Mail and Cyprus Times website – from access to the country’s interior, constitutes a deeply undemocratic action against the freedom of expression, pluralism of views and freedom of press,” the UCJ says.

They said that such actions should be avoided and people should be left to decide for themselves which media to follow.

“The journalist community has faith in the judgement of the public opinion to have access to all press information and views and to decide for itself what it embraces and what it does not.”