Members of the National Assembly in Republika Srpska, one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, are called to vote on 18 July 2023 on the draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code, which would re-introduce criminal penalties for defamation.The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium in calling on deputies to vote against these amendments, which would stifle journalism, public debate, and civil discourse, not only in Republika Srpska but across the whole country. Our organisations have warned of the dangers of criminalising defamation as draft amendments…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium today in warning that the findings of a new report assessing the impact of the takeover of regional news publisher Polska Press by Poland’s state-controlled oil company PKN Orlen illustrate a shocking example of media capture in the EU.  The report by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights in Poland concludes that the takeover and subsequent editorial purge at Polska Press by Orlen in December 2020 has negatively affected journalists freedoms and led to a shift in editorial lines favourable to the ruling…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) and the undersigned international media freedom organisations today call for the updated business certificate of Klan Kosova to be accepted by the complaint committee and that all attempts by the Kosovo government to pressure the broadcaster are halted immediately. The latest call by our organisations comes after the unprecedented decision of the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, made on 14 June 2023, to suspend the business certificate of Klan Kosova LLC and bring criminal charges against its representatives. While we recognise the requirement for Kosovo authorities to enforce legal obligations regarding…

The Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Pluralism (CMPF) published their preliminary study, “News deserts in Europe: assessing risks for local and community media in the 27 EU Member States”. The study, carried out as part of the Local Media for Democracy (LM4D) project, illustrated that one of the main causes for the desertification of accessible independent media throughout Europe is the lack of adequate and sustainable funding for media organisations. For the scope of this project, and in line with the methodology adopted by the Media Pluralism Monitor, the CMPF developed a comprehensive and Europe-specific definition of news deserts…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the publication on Wednesday 5 July 2023 of the Report on the Rule of Law by the European Commission. This fourth annual report again highlights the threats to media pluralism and the safety of journalists in EU Member States. This is further proof of the urgent need for a strong European Media Freedom Act and other measures to compel Member States to take action. The fourth EU Rule of Law report features specific recommendations targeted at individual member states. This year, 19 EU countries – compared to 16 last year – have been urged to take measures to…

Objectives and design of the project The Dutch-speaking Press Council in Belgium (Raad) and the Council for Mass Media in Finland (MGCCM) are launching a project to support organisations that want to set up new press or media councils in countries or regions where one does not yet exist. The project is part of the Media Councils in the Digital Age #4 project, which is co-funded by the European Commission. The call is addressed to journalist associations, (umbrella organizations of) media organisations or other relevant stakeholders. As bodies of journalistic self-regulation, press and media councils are critical to a democratic…