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 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

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

Kosovo’s media law enables political capture of regulatory body - Article

OBCT and Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners express deep alarm over the passage of a new media law by the Kosovo Parliament and call on the Constitutional Court to repeal the bill

France: Media freedom coalition condemns Vivendi’s disinformation campaign against Reporters Without Borders - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners strongly condemn the cyber disinformation campaign against the press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Media in Montenegro - Article

After the dissolution of Yugoslavia and a transition period, in Montenegro - now a candidate country for EU membership - the evolution of the media landscape continued in parallel with the attempts to accelerate democratic developments. Interview with Mihailo Jovović, editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Vijesti

By Sava Mirković

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA and BHS

The EU must prioritise media freedom and human rights in Türkiye - Article

Call on the new European Commission and the new European Parliament to strengthen their commitment in their relations with Türkiye

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