The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) will hold its elective general meeting in Budapest, Hungary, on 2-3 June 2025. More than 120 journalists and trade union representatives from 38 European countries will meet and elect the leadership of the federation for the next three years. This is the first time in the history of the EFJ that the organisation holds a statutory meeting in Hungary. Budapest was chosen as the host city of the EFJ congress, representing 295,000 journalists through 73 journalists’ organisations across 44 countries in Europe. Co-organised by the Hungarian Press Union (HPU) and the Association of Hungarian…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), along with two of its affiliates (APJA and AGSH), joined the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) to raise alarm over recent reports of alleged violations of journalists’ labour rights at ABC News Albania, one of the main private television. Information received from numerous journalists indicates that ABC News management may have unilaterally and without prior notice initiated changes to employment contracts, replacing regular agreements with freelance contracts. These changes have reportedly affected up to ten journalists, including reporters, correspondents, and camera operators, across Albania. Fearing retaliation from management, local stakeholders, and negative media reports, the journalists…

On 13 May, the Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán presented a draft of a new foreign funding bill which represents the most serious attack on Hungarian media in years and is the latest step in a more than decade-long campaign by the government to stigmatise independent journalism, undermine its business model and systematically erode media pluralism. If passed, this legislation would effectively represent the first foreign agent-style law in the European Union, marking another milestone in Hungary’s democratic decline and deepening the crackdown in what has long been the EU’s worst country for media freedom. Hungary has already…

Russia’s Investigative Committee announced, in a statement on Telegram on 20 May, that a criminal case had been launched against journalist Galina Timchenko. She has been accused of organising the activities of an “undesirable organisation” and posting videos “to foment protest sentiment and to involve the public in the activities of such an organisation”. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) condemn this action and demand that the Russian government stops criminalising journalism and harassing journalists who have fled the country. Galina Timchenko, 64, a Russian-born journalist based in Latvia and CEO of Meduza, is facing a criminal case recently…

Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) requested information from two media outlets, LETA and Re:Baltica, about content published on their websites in the context of the pre-election municipal campaign to be held on 7 June 2025. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliate the Latvian Journalists’ Association (LŽA) in expressing its concern about questions by a state agency into editorial decisions. On 14 and 15 May 2025, Latvia’s news agency LETA and the Baltic Centre for Investigative Journalism Re:Baltica, received similar letters from the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) to provide explanations regarding published content about…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) to raise alarm over numerous incidents of intimidation and obstruction faced by journalists covering the Albanian parliamentary elections. Since the 11 May election, at least 20 journalists and media entities have faced reporting interference and pressure, including from public officials. All incidents were captured in multiple videos. Throughout election day, at least five journalists covering the vote experienced alarming incidents across the country, including verbal abuse, physical aggression, and interference in their reporting. Incidents documented by the MFRR and…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) express deep concern over the serious pressure and violations of professional standards to which journalists and media workers at Euronews Serbia have been subjected for months. Editors and managers must never be sources of pressure; they should be the first line of defense for professionalism and journalistic ethics.  According to information we have received, employees in the Euronews Serbia newsroom are facing intense pressure from management and editorial leadership, including censorship, unprofessional demands, bans on asking certain government officials questions, and sanctions for refusing to comply…

A newly introduced bill which would allow for the blacklisting, financial restriction and potential closure of media outlets and civil society organisations receiving foreign funds poses a severe threat to independent journalism and press freedom and should be immediately challenged under EU law, the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) said today. Draft legislation submitted on May 13 by the Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán represents the most serious attack on Hungarian media in years and is the latest step in a more than decade-long campaign by the government to stigmatise independent journalism, undermine its…

Between 19 and 21 May, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partner organisations will conduct a press freedom mission to Zagreb, Croatia. The mission aims to engage with public authorities and media representatives on key recommendations from the MFRR monitoring mission report and stress the urgent need for Croatia to fully implement the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive and ensure the effective application of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).  The report “Precarity and political pressures: addressing challenges undermining media freedom in Croatia,” published in February 2025, underscores the critical importance of addressing legal threats to journalists in Croatia – including criminal defamation,…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), which will hold its General Meeting in Budapest on 2-3 June, strongly condemns, together with its Hungarian affiliates MÚOSZ and HPU, the bill tabled on Tuesday by the ruling party in Hungary to crack down on independent media and NGOs that receive funding from abroad. The EFJ calls on the European Union to sanction this new attack on the rule of law in Hungary. On Tuesday 13 May, shortlly before midnight, János Halász, a Member of Parliament from Fidesz, the party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, tabled a bill in Parliament aimed at…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in condemning state security forces’ deliberate violence against journalists covering the International Workers’ Day protest in Paris on 1 May, including physical violence and arbitrary confiscation of protective masks. We call on the French authorities to rigorously enforce national safety protocols to protect media workers and end recurring police violence against the press during demonstrations. Under the Ministry of Interior’s National Law Enforcement Plan (SNMO), state security must ensure journalists’ rights to cover law enforcement operations, protect them, and…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) condemned the attack on Nova TV’s investigative journalist Danka Derifaj and camera operator Miroslav Bokan while filming a report on the long-term environmental destruction along the Una River in Croatia. We also join our Croatian affiliates (TUCJ and CJA), and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN), in welcoming the prompt action of the Lika-Senj County Police, who arrested the individuals responsible under the government’s safety protocol for journalists signed with the Ministry of Interior, TUCJ, and CJA. On 10 May 2025, at around 6 pm, Reporter Danka Derifaj and camera operator Miroslav Bokan from Nova TV’s…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the Pope’s call on Monday for the release of imprisoned journalists. In Europe, 163 journalists are currently behind bars, just for doing their job. Pope Leo on Monday called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the “precious gift of free speech and the press” in an audience with some of the 6,000 journalists who covered his election. This was the first news conference of his pontificate, in the Vatican. He called for journalists to reject war and to give voice to the voiceless and he expressed solidarity with journalists around the…

On 7 May 2025, the French journalists’ unions (SNJ, SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalistes) took part in the inauguration of the esplanade at the Pôle Universitaire de Vichy, named Arman Soldin, in tribute to the French-Bosnian journalist killed two years ago in Ukraine. A 32-year-old video journalist, Arman Soldin was one of the first AFP correspondents to enter Ukraine after the Russian invasion on 25 February 2022, regularly visiting the front lines in the east and south. He was killed on 9 May 2023 in a bombardment near Chasiv Yar, in eastern Ukraine. From Croatia, Maja Sever, President of the European Federation of…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has joined forces with European publishers to recall that press freedom is a cornerstone for peace and democracy. Today, on Europe Day, we celebrate the founding of the European Union and the values that define it—freedom, unity, and peace. These values must never be taken for granted. At a time when democratic principles are under increasing pressure, both from within and beyond our borders, we must cherish, defend, and renew them. A free, independent, and pluralistic press is a cornerstone of European democracy. Journalism plays a critical role in holding power to account, informing…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemn the recent arrest and reported mistreatment of two independent journalists in Azerbaijan – Ulviyya Ali (Guliyeva) and Ahmad Mammadli – as part of a deepening crackdown on press freedom in the country. Both journalists were detained this week in separate incidents marked by police violence, arbitrary detention, and politically motivated accusations. Their arrests bring the total number of journalists jailed in Azerbaijan to at least 24, according to Reporters Without Borders, amid what has become a full-scale assault on independent media. Ulviyya Ali, a contributor to…