Kosovo: Dangerous attack by MP Dimal Basha on ECPMF’S Senior legal advisor Flutura Kusari - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response Partners (MFRR) strongly condemn Lëvizja Vetëvendosje  MP Dimal Basha’s abusive speech against ECPMF Senior legal advisor Flutura Kusari during a speech in the Kosovo parliament. Kusari, found herself singled out in a personal attack aimed at silencing the prominent activist, and resulting in a wave of online abuse and sex-based insults

Lithuania: Joint letter from mediafreedom organisations - Article

Draft amendment to Lithuanian law on national radio and television threatens public broadcaster’s funding model

Croatia: SafeJournalists and MFRR partners express full solidarity and support to Hrvoje Zovko in further legal battle - Article

Following the decision of the Supreme Court to overturn the the previous verdicts on the case involving Hrvoje Zovko and the Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT), media freedom organisations show full support to the Croatian journalist in his appeal to the Constitutional Court

Independence of Slovakia’s leading TV news channel must be protected - Article

OBCT joins the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in expressing concern about the actions of the Slovak government towards Slovakia’s leading commercial broadcaster, TV Markíza, aimed at silencing its critical journalism. We call on Markíza’s owners, the Central European Media Enterprises (CME), to resist the pressure and guarantee the editorial independence of the newsroom

Croatia, journalists on the streets - Article

Hundreds of journalists took to the streets in Zagreb against the Plenković government's amendments to the Criminal Code, which limit the right to report. According to the Association of Croatian Journalists, the prime minister wants to silence investigations into his government's corruption

By Giovanni Vale 

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

MFRR highlights threats to media freedom in EU Commission’s Rule of Law report - Article

OBCT and MFRR partners participated in the European Commission's public consultations on the rule of law providing updates on media freedom in EU countries 

Preventive wiretaps: a violation of the right of defence? - Article

After the book by former journalist Bisignani and Madron, which talks about 400 politicians and journalists controlled by the services, the alarm came from former MP Marco Cappato, who fears being under surveillance. The government denies, but the debate is about the law that regulates preventive wiretapping rather than the specific case

by Paola Rosà

Originally published by OBCT , available also in ITA

Cyprus: Call for thorough investigations into surveillance of Makarios Drousiotis - Article

OBC Transeuropa and other media advocacy organisations sent a letter to the Cypriot authorities, amid the lack of adequate investigations into the alleged surveillance of journalist Makarios Drousiotis.

Wiretapping and trojans: the Nordio bill alarms journalists - Article

For the Italian Press National Federation and trade associations, the crackdown on the dissemination of transcripts is a new attack on freedom of the press and citizens' right to be informed. Even MPs are in turmoil, worried that the "cyber interceptor" – aka trojan - will get out of the hands of its users

By Paola Rosà

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Open letter to the European Commission: e-influence mercenaries operating in the EU undermine access to information - Article

Media outlets, journalists’ and press freedom organisations troubled with abusive practices of some reputation management companies operating in the European Union