Croatia: International fact-finding mission to assess status of press freedom - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners will conduct an international mission to assess the current state of press freedom and safety of journalists in Croatia. The mission will take place online between 9 and 20 September 2024

2024 Rule of Law Report - Country Chapter North Macedonia - Reports

Despite constitutional guarantees, North Macedonian journalists face many challenges regarding freedom of expression and media censorship. Troubling precedents, such as defamation cases, are a serious hurdle to media freedom in the country. Journalism remains an unappealing career option for many due to insufficient and non-transparent state funding

2024 Rule of Law Report - Country Chapter Croatia - Reports

Media Freedom, pluralism and the Right to Information are legally safeguarded in Croatia. However, skepticism persists regarding the independence of the Council for Electronic Media and the public service broadcaster, HRT. Media ownership transparency remains a challenge and SLAPPs targeting journalists are a growing concern

2024 Rule of Law Report - Country Chapter Romania - Reports

The public service media grapples with funding shortages and issues of editorial autonomy that lead to challenges in fulfilling its mandate. Though a robust legal framework with imposition of penalties is in place, some political parties have increased their financing of private media for political advertising. Threats and harassment against journalists continue and steady access to information is not available

2024 Rule of Law Report - Country Chapter Bulgaria - Reports

The report points out a set of challenges to media freedom in the country, including the independence of the media regulator, the management of existing registers for media ownership, the implementation of legal safeguards for economic and political interference and editorial independence, access to public information, and increasing cases of threats of lawsuits and censorship

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

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

Media Freedom Mission to Romania questions fairness of electoral coverage - Article

Urgent reform of political funding for ‘press and propaganda’ needed to end media dependency on political parties

Italy: MFRR open letter to the President of the European Parliament and the President of the European Commission - Article

MFRR partner organisations sent a letter to President Metsola and President von der Leyen to express serious concerns about the declining media freedom in Italy and bring to their attention the findings of the recent advocacy mission to Rome

Lithuania: Joint letter from mediafreedom organisations - Article

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