The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in addressing the Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, regarding the unlawful political pressure being exerted on the weekly Novosti, the only print media outlet for the Serb minority in Croatia. Recent alarming developments include a statement by MP Mlinarić from the ruling Homeland Movement coalition expressing the intention to abolish all budgetary funding for Novosti starting in 2026. This statement followed reports by Novi List that the president of the Homeland Movement, Ivan Penava, had allegedly pressured minority members of the Council for National…

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has just sent a strong signal to European policy makers. Yesterday, in their first ever ruling on the working conditions of journalists in Europe, the three components of the EESC – trade unions, employers and civil society – have joined forces to demand concrete measures against the worrying precariousness of journalists, which poses a serious threat to democracy. The report, adopted on Wednesday by a very large majority in plenary, calls on the European Commission and Member State governments to take concrete measures to support the profession. Although initiated by the trade union…

Proposed legal amendments to the law governing Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT risk weakening its editorial independence and disrupting its sustainable financing, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the undersigned partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) warn today. Earlier this week, LRT journalists announced a protest scheduled for 9 December in front of the Parliament to oppose proposed changes to the Law on the Lithuanian National Radio and Television, which they say would “dismantle the safeguards that protect LRT’s independence.” The protest is organised in reaction to two amendments initiated by the governing Nemunas Dawn party, which…

As negotiations continue over a peace plan to end the Russian war on Ukraine, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) join the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and partner organisations in strongly opposing any proposals on granting amnesty for potential war crimes committed in the course of Russia’s full-scale invasion, especially for those against journalists. Our organisations renew our demand that those responsible for the killing of at least 16 journalists, the serious injury of dozens more, as well as for other attacks on media infrastructure, are identified and held accountable…

The President of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Maja Sever, on behalf of the 300,000 journalists represented by the EFJ in 44 European countries, expressed her full solidarity with the Italian journalists on strike on Thursday 28 November to demand the renewal of their national collective agreement. “Everywhere in Europe, journalists are faced with increasingly precarious working conditions, which prevent them from fully fulfilling their mission of providing information to the public,” insists Maja Sever. “There can be no real public interest journalism without decent working conditions for journalists. This is why the general strike is a powerful act,…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in expressing, in an open letter to the European Commission, serious concerns regarding the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state-level broadcaster, Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT). Our letter comes as BHRT staff today protest in front of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina to raise alarm about the dire financial situation and call for institutional support and immediate action that will end years of disrespecting the Law. For years, BHRT has been facing serious financial challenges due to a deep institutional crisis and debts primarily incurred by…