Russia’s TASS news agency has been expelled from the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA). The decision was made at the organization’s General Assembly in Larnaca, Cyprus, Ukrinform reported. An alliance statement said: “Russia’s TASS news agency has been expelled from EANA.”
TASS’s membership was suspended on February 27, 2022. Since then, the Russian agency has not been allowed to attend EANA meetings, conferences or general assemblies. Thus, the decision in Larnaca formally terminates its status in the organization, after it remained outside the alliance’s activities for more than four years.
Changes to the alliance’s membership
EANA was founded in Strasbourg in 1956. According to the organization, before the latest decision it brought together 33 news agencies from across Europe. At the same General Assembly, the admission of Lithuania’s ELTA news agency as the alliance’s 34th member was approved.
The EANA conference in Larnaca was held from November 11 to 13 under the motto “News agencies and geopolitics – context and working with sensitive issues.” The Cyprus News Agency hosted the event.
Ukrinform’s role
Ukraine is represented in EANA by its national news agency Ukrinform, which has been a member of the alliance since 1995. At the General Assembly in Rome on October 4, 2024, EANA decided to establish a Committee to Counter Disinformation.
Serhii Cherevatyi, Director General of Ukrinform, was elected chair of the committee. His term was renewed by the alliance’s general assemblies in 2025 and 2026.
Sources: ukrinform.net