Bulgaria: Investigative journalists hit by smears and lawsuits after corruption revelations - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in expressing concern about legal pressure exerted against two of Bulgaria’s leading investigative media platforms

SLAPP in Bulgaria, record claim against Mediapool - Article

A record claim for compensation against Bulgarian online newspaper Mediapool, "guilty" of bringing the problems of the insurance sector to public attention. A trial brings the SLAPP issue back under the spotlight in Bulgaria, between fears and professional solidarity

By Francesco Martino

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA

Bulgarian far-right party’s ‘foreign agent’ bill sparks media freedom concerns - Article

Press freedom groups raise alarm that law appears intended to target critical media

Media and surveillance, the Predator scandal shakes Greece - Article

As Greece loses 38 positions in the annual Reporters Without Borders ranking compared to 2021, the public learns about the surveillance of investigative journalist Thanasis Koukakis. The spyware used is called Predator and it is still unclear who is behind it

by Alessio Giussani

Interviewing Journalism II. Needs and gaps in support for women and local journalists - Article

As part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response, OBC Transeuropa published a new needs and gaps analysis building on the findings of the research carried out in 2021. The study, conducted by Maria Francesca Rita, focuses on the needs of women and local journalists and the gaps in the existing support mechanisms

Needs and Gaps Brief No. 3: Bulgaria - Article

The third of a series of briefs presenting the results of the forthcoming Needs and Gaps analysis

Curated by Maria Francesca Rita

Greece: Justice Ministry must withdraw proposed amendments on ‘false news’ - Article

MFRR partners understand the threat that misinformation poses, but the passing of heavy-handed legislation is not the correct response, as subjective interpretation of a vaguely worded law can open the door to censorship of legitimate reporting

MFRR: EU action needed to tackle spyware abuses after Pegasus revelations - Article

As the European Parliament today debates the Pegasus spyware scandal, the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) call for an immediate investigation into the alleged use of the spyware against journalists by Hungarian authorities and urge the strong implementation of new EU rules on the export of cyber-surveillance technology around the world

CEI SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism - Article

The focus 2021 of the Award is Covid-19. One virus, many stories: investigative reporting on the socio-economic impact of the global pandemic

A whistleblower at the United Nations: an open letter to protect her - Article

OBCT co-signed the letter by Transparency International Macedonia to United Nations Secretary-General Guterres: we demand protection for the whistleblower Emma Reilly who received the communication that her protected whistleblower status had been removed