Media freedom in Romania ahead of Super Election Year - HTML5 video

On April 4 2024, the International Press Institute (IPI), Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) and the Media Freedom Rapid Response hosted a webinar to mark the publication of a major report assessing press freedom and independent journalism in Romania

Georgia: MFRR partners strongly condemn new attempts to introduce a law on “Transparency of Foreign Influence” - Article

The move comes one year after mass protests forced the government to withdraw a similar initiative

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

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

Media in Albania, under the blows of power - Article

The recent angry attack by the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama against a journalist has brought the constant pressure and intimidation that the power in Albania exerts on the media and media professionals back under the spotlight

By  Erion Gjatolli

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA

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

ARTICLE 19’s Ethical Journalism Awards 2024 in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia - Reports

As part of its newly launched #CheckItFirst campaign, ARTICLE 19 launches the 2024 Ethical Journalism Awards 

Coalition calls for effective implementation as the Parliament adopts the EMFA - Article

OBCT, as part of the EU Media Advocacy Working Group, welcomes the adoption of the European Media Freedom Act by the European Parliament and calls for an effective implementation of the new regulation

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