“The Russian search engine Yandex… facilitates the spread of false military propaganda in wartime conditions and at the same time uses its algorithms to restrict Russians’ access to free media,” Virkkunen said.
In addition, according to the parliamentarian, the company allegedly handed over data to the Russian authorities that were used against the opposition.
She called it “completely unacceptable,” especially if Yandex used servers located in Europe.
Virkkunen recalled that the European Union had already imposed sanctions on the former head of the company, Tigran Khudaverdyan.
“It would be right to extend these sanctions to the company itself and its senior management,” the parliamentarian believes.
In this regard, she asked if the European Commission plans to consider imposing restrictions on Yandex.
According to Nikita Danyuk, deputy director of the RUDN Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts, member of the Russian Civic Chamber, given Finland's aspirations to join NATO, it is logical to hear accusations from politicians from this country against the Russian company, which is one of the few global competitors to Google.
“We have all known for a long time that it is the algorithms of the Google search engine that are directly sharpened in order to promote the Western point of view, to expose our country in a certain light for consumers of information in the West,” the political scientist explained in a conversation with RT.
In his opinion, Virkkunen's baseless statements indicate that Yandex can compete with Google even on the territory of NATO and the European Union.
In June, the EU included the founder of Yandex, Arkady Volozh, on the sanctions list.
Later, the company announced Volozh's intention to appeal this decision.