Albania: freedom of the press crushed by the weight of politics - Article

Almost non-existent professional ethics, capture of the media by politics and financial unsustainability are just some of the main issues that make the Albanian media landscape particularly alarming. An interview

By Luisa Chiodi

Originally published on OBCT , also available in ITA

Research on the Pressures on Local Media in Serbia (July 2022 - May 2024) - Reports

Published in Serbian, this study is conducted by “Lokal Pres'' and funded by the National Endowment for Democracy. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the pressures faced by local media in Serbia over the period from July 2022 to May 2024

The 2024 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism - call for submission of submissions - Reports

Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism was officially launched by the European Parliament on May 3, 2024

Terrorism investigation into Catalan journalist raises concerns ahead of elections - Article

Journalists and media freedom organizations express concern over the investigation for terrorism of Catalan journalist Jesús Rodríguez Sellés, now residing in Switzerland

Bulgaria Minister urged to drop defamation lawsuit - Article

Media Freedom organizations call on Bulgarian Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov to withdraw charges against two investigative journalists of the Bureau for Investigative Reporting and Data (BIRD)

Report on media freedom in Romania ahead of Super Election Year - Mission Report on Media Capture, Legal Obstacles and Journalists’ Safety - Reports

Following the online fact finding mission to Romania coordinated by OBCT and IPI, the report explores the challenges faced by Romanian media professionals at a time of political change

North Macedonia, media and public funds - Article

In view of the upcoming political and presidential elections, the Macedonian government has reintroduced forms of public funding for the media. However, the country's media organisations argue that the move may aggravate the influence of political interests on news outlets

By Aleksandar Samardjiev 

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA

Georgia: MFRR partners denounce smear campaign against journalist by speaker of the Parliament - Article

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today express concern at the discrediting of a prominent Georgian journalist by Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament. The comments come amid a broader wave of smear campaigns against independent media in Georgia by Papuashvili and others

Safeguarding women journalists in the digital age - Article

On International Women’s Day, MFRR coalition partners publish a critical examination of attacks against women journalists in the European Union and candidate countries

Croatia, the assault on the local press - Article

2024 is the year of elections for Croatia: European, political and presidential elections will take place between next June and December. And with the electoral competitions, the race for control of the local media, particularly the regional ones, is gaining ground in a hardly transparent way

By Giovanni Vale 

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA and BHS