The European Union (EU) expects from the Government of Montenegro to impose a broadcasting ban on the TV channels Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik. 'We urge the Government to take all of the steps necessary to ensure the legal basis for the competent national authorities, including the Agency for Electronic Media of Montenegro (AEM), to make the relevant decisions on the case,' EU officials stated for the press.

The written response confirms the readiness of the Ministry of Public Administration, Digital Society and Media as well as of Montenegro's national regulator AEM to enforce EU sanctions upon the mentioned channels in compliance with all of the applicable national legal procedures.

Welcoming that decision of the competent authorities, Brussels officials have reminded that it is fully in line with the 'consistent record of Montenegro's 100% compliance with the EU sanctions' and the common European foreign and security policies as well as a clear position in favor of the country's respect for the international law and the overall stability in Europe. The reaction from Brussels follows the failure of the Montenegrin government to come up with a decision on whether to suspend the distribution of the two Russian channels in the country regardless of AEM's decision to act in line with the EU decisions.

As the competent regulatory body responsible for the termination of cable TV signal, the Electronic Media Agency stated earlier that it could not ban the broadcasting of those channels in Montenegro without a decision from the Government. On March 2, the EU suspended the broadcasting of Russian TV channels Sputnik and Russia Today, which are considered to be distributors of fake news and manipulated facts. So far, Montenegro has fully aligned its foreign policy with those of the European Union.