Despite having the necessary accreditation, Farida Kurbangaleeva, a Russian opposition journalist residing in the Czech Republic, was unable to attend a press conference at Prague Castle on July 6, following a meeting between Czech President Petr Pavel and his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Zelensky.
According to reports from Denik.cz, Kurbangaleeva, who is currently associated with the Republic project, was escorted out of the room where the press conference was taking place. The decision to remove her was based on security concerns, and the presidential administration declined to provide further details. “It is not possible to disclose additional information,” stated Prague Castle spokeswoman Marketa Rzekhakova.
Kurbangaleeva previously worked as an anchor for Russia 1 TV channel until 2014, after which she left her position following the Russian occupation of Crimea. From 2017 to 2020, she was associated with Radio Free Europe.
During his two-day visit to the Czech Republic, President Zelensky held meetings not only with President Pavel but also with Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS), Senate President Milos Vystrcil (ODS), and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Marketa Pekarova-Adamova (TOP 09).
