2024 Rule of Law Report - Country Chapter Montenegro - Reports

Montenegro adopted a comprehensive legislative package in June 2024 to bolster media pluralism and freedom in line with EU standards. The legislative packages aim to grant the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services (AAVMS) greater autonomy and enforcement power. Improvements have also been noticed in how the authorities respond to reported violence against journalists, but there remains a lack of effective judicial action, specifically in past cases

From Silence to Strength: A Regional Response to SLAPPs in the Western Balkans - Reports

The newly released Balkan Civil Society Development Network Report examines the SLAPP phenomenon across the Western Balkans

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

2024 EC Rule of Law Report: EU Accession Countries and Member States on Equal Footing, Civic Space Threats Overlooked - Reports

The report provides an analysis of the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report on Accession countries 

2024 Media Pluralism Monitor: Italy - Reports

Monitoring media pluralism in the digital era: application of the media pluralism monitor in the European member states and in candidate countries in 2023.

Country report: Italy

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

Silencing the Fourth Estate: Italy’s democratic drift - Article

Media freedom coalition sounds the alarm on political meddling and legal threats to journalism

Also available in ITA

MFRR to conduct an urgent mission to Italy amid worsening state of media freedom - Article

The growing pressure on press freedom in Italy has prompted the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium to organize an urgent mission to Rome on May 16 and 17. The unprecedented political interference in the public service media, the increasing cases of vexatious lawsuits against journalists, and the possible sale of the AGI news agency will be the focus of the two-day visit. Meetings will be held with institutional stakeholders, journalists, trade unions and civil society

Also available in ITA

Press freedom in Italy: those in power are not to be criticised - Article

In 2021, then opposition leader Giorgia Meloni sued Roberto Saviano for defamation. Last October, the Rome Criminal Court issued a sentence against the Italian writer. A ruling that alarmed Italian and European civil society. We had a conversation about it with Antonio Nobile, Saviano's lawyer

By Sielke Kelner 

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation and their global relevance: recent developments and persisting gaps in human rights law and in (EU)... - Reports

This academic article examines SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) through both human rights and private international law, in light of the 2024 EU Anti-SLAPP Directive