On World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners express solidarity with all journalists and media professionals who face threats, intimidation, and attacks for their work. In these challenging times of socio-political turmoil in Europe and beyond, public interest journalism is more crucial than ever, as journalists continue to work under increasing pressure. We call for decisive action by the European Union, its member states, and candidate countries to uphold and protect media freedom