The amendments filed by MEPs to a report by European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia Vladimir Bilcik condemned the opening the Russia Today bureau in Belgrade, which the state-controlled Telekom Serbia claims is not against the law, Nova.rs said.

Amendment 253, filed by a group of MEPs, specifically condemned the opening of the Russia Today bureau in Belgrade and the launch of the Russian state media outlets Serbian language service and called the Serbian authorities to stand up to hybrid threats and align with the EU Council decision on ending Sputnik and RT broadcasts.

MEPs also called official Belgrade to combat misinformation and anti-EU narratives.

Telekom claims that the airing of Russia Today is in line with Serbian law. It also falsely claimed that United Group was airing the two Russian state channels.

“Citing Telekom is factually incorrect and groundless. As a market operator, Telekom abides by all rules and regulations under the laws where it operates. Telekom does not broadcast or distribute Russian media where they have been banned under the sanctions,” the state telecommunications company said in its reply to criticism in the amendments adding that Serbia has not banned Russian media outlets which are being aired by all media distributors. “Telekom cannot be singled out and condemned for abiding by Serbian laws and it did not take part in the opening of the Russia Today bureau in Belgrade nor did it enable broadcasts,” it said and added that the Russian channel is not broadcast via cable but on the Internet. According to Telekom, Meta group companies, especially Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have enable their broadcasting.

Telekom called the EU and Serbia government to find a solution to battle misinformation, including manipulative anti-EU narratives without selective influence on market operators as proposed in the amendment,” Telekom said in its reply.

N1 has learned from sources in two European Parliament groups that Telekom’s long-time partner Igor Zezelj has hired professional lobbyist from Croatia Daniel Mondekar to help remove any mention of the Serbian state-owned company from the report on Serbia. One of the sources said that Mondekar has connections in the European Parliament and among top officials of the European Commission and has helped Zezelj buy the Euractiv portal.