“Government and Federal President must immediately stand up for the release of the ORF cameraman set in Ukraine”

“What is currently going on in Ukraine is an outrageous attack on freedom of the press and another proof of how far the Selenskyj regime has already moved away from basic democratic standards,” said FPÖ general secretary and media spokesman NABG today. Christian Hafenecker, MA to determine the ORF cameraman Andrij Neposedov by the Ukrainian military: “A media employee who was in use with ORF correspondent Wehrschütz is illegally abducted, abused and despite the medically confirmed military service, to be put back on the front-this is a scandal.” Hafeneck also announced an inquiry to NEOS Foreign Minister Meinl-Reisinger, from whom he demanded as well as of Federal President Van der Bellen “Full Enlightenment and Clear Cante to Kiev”: “According to media reports, the wife of the Federal President, together with NEOS Minister of Education, recently traveled to Ukraine. perceived to address the establishment of the cameraman! ”

Hafenecker emphasized that this incident was also a clear message to the Austrian federal government: “Van der Bellen, Stocker, Babler, Meinl-Reisinger and Co. overturn with friendship statements, but systematically blinds that journalists are kidnapped there and human rights are taken with feet. Are the alleged European or western values ​​that the Selenskyj regime According to these gentlemen, whoever defended billions in view of such processes and at the same time reveals our neutrality. “

A country that wants to become a EU member must respect democratic fundamental rights-and in particular the freedom of the press counts. “The Neposedov case impressively shows how much the Ukrainian leadership in panic is a panic of its own lack of soldiers and no longer shy away from being pulled in to collect journalists and media employees,” said Hafenecker, who once again criticized the double morality of the domestic “system media”. “If there was a comparable case in Hungary or Poland, ORF and Co. would drive special programs. But there is a booming silence – further proof of the blame for reporting,” concluded the freedom media spokesman.

Hafenecker therefore called for an enforcing intervention by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal President. “The Austrian federal government is obliged to immediately stand up for the release of the cameraman and to make it clear that Austria is no longer willing to support a regime that travels the fundamental rights with feet. Neutrality does not mean to force itself into such a party. Also against the resistance of the black-red-pink-green unit front, ”Hafenecker concludes.