On the Government's recommendation adopted this Monday, the Macedonian Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AAVMU) has instructed all cable operators in the country to exclude from their packages all Russian TV channels that are currently re-transmitted in North Macedonia.

The recommendation comes after the decision of all EU member states to ban Russia Today and Sputnik on the territory of the European Union. In its memo to the cable operators, the Agency refers to the recommendation from the Government, which relates to 'channels whose founder is the Russian Federation or private, natural or legal entities originating from the Federation'.

Operators now have a 3-day deadline to notify the Agency of the activities they have undertaken. The recommendation potentially refers to 4 channels that are currently re-broadcast in the country, part of which are in the English language and part in Russian.