Czech Republic: Public media funding bill raises concerns over compatibility with EMFA

A new government bill which would overhaul the funding model for the Czech public media risks financially weakening the broadcasters, eroding safeguards for their financial independence and violating European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), the undersigned Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and other media freedom, journalist and freedom of expression organisations warn today. Our organisations call on the European Commission to closely assess this bill regarding its compatibility with Article 5 of EMFA and to ensure that no reforms are undertaken which threaten the financial, editorial or institutional independence of the Czech public media.…

Solidarity action: Over 250 media outlets stage blackout to protest killings of journalists in Gaza

At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, there will soon be no one left to keep you informed. In an unprecedented global action, almost 200 media outlets from 50 countries are simultaneously disrupting their front pages, homepages, and broadcasts to demand an end to the killing of journalists in Gaza and to call for international press access to the enclave. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the action, coordinated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the global campaigning movement Avaaz and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), on 1 September 2025. Print newspapers will run blacked-out front…

Ukraine: Three newspaper buildings hit by Russian drones

Three Ukrainian newspaper editorial offices, two in Kyiv and one in Mezhivskyi, were hit overnight on 28 August by Russian drones, causing damage to the buildings and property inside. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) join their affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), in strongly condemning the attacks and in expressing solidarity with the journalists affected. The IFJ and the EFJ demand full accountability from the Russian authorities and call for the full protection of all Ukrainian journalists. On 28 August in the Mezhivskyi community of the Dnipropetrovsk region, a Russian drone hit the editorial…

Germany: Takeover of ProSiebenSat.1 raises questions about media pluralism in Europe

Italian media group MediaForEurope (MFE) is set to takeover German commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 after the Czech major shareholder PPF announced its withdrawal, on 27 August 2025. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its German affiliate dju in ver.di in raising concerns about the effects on media pluralism in Europe. With this acquisition, Pier Silvio Berlusconi – head of MFE and son of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi – seeks to create a pan-European media group with ProSiebenSat.1 and MFE’s channels in Italy and Spain. “International investors are primarily concerned with financial interests,” emphasises dju co-chair Lars Hansen. There…

Belgium: Solidarity action with Gazan journalists unites 400 in urgent call for EU action

“Our journalists are paying the price. They are killed every day. We want this occupation to end. We want the genocide and the killing of journalists to stop. The EU is complicit in their killing.” These words, from Yousef Habash, President of the European branch of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS-Europe), resonated with the crowd gathered on 26 August, at Mont des Arts in Brussels, to honour the 219 journalists who have lost their lives while informing the world about the massive killing of the population in Gaza. The International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ), together with Palestinian…

Albania: We raise alarm over non compliance with a recent decision by Court in Tirana affecting media freedom

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), joined by its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), the SafeJournalists Network (SJN), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), is urging ministers to enforce the Tirana First Instance Court’s decision from 12 August 2025. This ruling partially upheld the request of Focus Media Group and Panorama Group for urgent interim measures to restore access to journalistic equipment and work materials.   25.08.2025 Në gjuhën shqipe më poshtë To: Ministry of Interior Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation (MEKI) Ministry of Justice State Police Bailiff Service (Zyra e Përmbarimit Shtetëror) Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) People’s…

Gaza: EFJ and European Trade Unions call for more decisive and principled action by the European Union

The following letter was sent today by European trade union leaders to Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Dear High Representative Ms Kallas, As European trade unionists committed to justice, human rights, and international law, we write to you with deep concern regarding the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the ongoing actions of the Israeli Government. Trade unions across Europe have been raising our voices to ask for EU action about the unconscionable humanitarian situation in Gaza, the continued and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, the large-scale destruction of civilian…

Serbia: EFJ calls on the police to protect journalists covering the protests

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Serbian affiliates the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS) and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS-NUNS) in calling on the police to immediately stop the violence against journalists and to protect them while they are covering the clashes between rival groups of protesters in Serbia, as months of anti-government demonstrations boiled over into street violence. A wave of anti-corruption protests has gripped Serbia since November, when the collapse of the Novi Sad railway station roof killed 16 people, a tragedy widely blamed on entrenched corruption. Late on Wednesday, protesters again gathered in…

Bosnia and Herzegovina: We urge the Court not to set a dangerous precedent for media freedom with journalist Nataša Miljanović Zubac’s case

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliate, the BH Journalists Association (BHJA)  in expressing deep concern over the intention of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina to obtain prohibitory measures for the journalist Nataša Miljanović Zubac, which include the prohibition of leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and contacts with two employees of the BIH Border Police, who, like Miljanović Zubac, are suspected of the criminal offense of “deceiving official secrets.” Miljanović Zubac was arrested on 7 August in Trebinje after her family house was raided, in connection to her investigation into potential crimes within police infrastructures. On…

Turkey: EFJ condemns armed attack on Evrensel’s İzmir office

The Izmir office of the Turkish daily newspaper Evrensel, located in Alsancak district, was shot at by an unidentified assailant, last night, at around 1.30am. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) demands an investigation to identify the perpetrator, his motives and convict him. The attack occurred at around 01:30 am when the office was empty. The man opened fire on Evrensel’s sign with a pistol. Seven bullet holes were found in the sign. Police detained one suspect and collected shell casings from the scene. The İzmir Representative Office of Evrensel said that the attack was not only against Evrensel, but…

Gaza: journalists’ unions mobilise in Europe

A targeted Israeli attack killed six journalists in Gaza on Sunday. These crimes have rekindled the mobilisation of journalists’ unions in Europe. On the call of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), journalists’ organisations in 23 countries have sent a letter to their governments asking them to take concrete measures to stop the massacre. Demonstrations are planned in Sweden, on Thursday, and in Belgium and Croatia, at the end of August. The EFJ is calling on its affiliates to take action wherever they can. As reported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), on 10 August, Israeli forces killed five…

Albania: Urgent answers needed on Focus Media Group blockade and journalists’ right to work

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), the SafeJournalists Network, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and Albanian media freedom organisations, in expressing serious concern over the police blockade and subsequent events affecting Focus Media Group, News24, BalkanWeb, Panorama, Gazeta Shqiptare, and other affiliated outlets. In the early hours of 9 August, State Police surrounded the building in Tirana where these outlets operate, cut the electricity supply, and blocked access for journalists and staff. This halted News24’s on-air broadcasting. According to Focus Media Group, no prior warning of effectively cutting off the broadcasting…

Albania: We demand the immediate lifting of the blockade on Focus Media Group, News24 broadcast signal must be resumed

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Albanian affiliates (AGSH, AEJ Albania, and APJ Albania) and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) in demanding an immediate end to the state police blockade of the Focus Media Group, which operates the News24 TV channel, BalkanWeb, Panorama, and Gazeta Shqiptare.   On 9 August, the police operation included preventing media workers from entering the building and cutting off the electricity, disrupting News24’s broadcast signal without prior notice or legal order. This incident took place within the context of a broader commercial dispute between the owner of News24 media and a state-owned arms company. As…

Belarus: Journalists imprisoned, exiled and persecuted five years after fraudulent presidential election

The persecution of journalists in Belarus for exercising their profession is commonplace under President Aleksander Lukashenko’s regime. Five years after Lukashenko’s latest fraudulent electoral victory, journalists and media in the country face an intensified crackdown, including disproportionate prison sentences. This has led to a worrying erosion of press freedom, further weakening civil society. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and their affiliate, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), in calling for the immediate release of all journalists and media workers unjustly imprisoned. We demand that the authorities cease the criminalisation of journalism, as…

Bosnia and Herzegovina: We demand immediate release and charges to be dropped for journalist Nataša Miljanović Zubac

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has joined forces with the Safety of Journalists Network (SJN) to call for the immediate release of journalist Nataša Miljanović Zubac and the dropping of charges against her aimed at criminalizing her reporting.* Late last night, 7 August, Miljanović Zubac was transferred from Trebinje to Sarajevo, accompanied by police officers and Border Police inspectors. Before the transfer, her family home was searched and her professional items and devices confiscated. She is suspected of “disclosing official secrets.” The Bosnia and Herzegovina Journalists’ Association (BHJA) and the wider journalist community are appalled. Authorized officials of the…

EU: After entry into force, political will now crucial for European Media Freedom Act success

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in welcoming the historic entry into force of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which represents a landmark achievement in ongoing efforts to safeguard media pluralism and independence across the European Union. Today, 8 August 2025, marks a new era for media freedom in the EU and comes at a crucial time for the defence of democratic values within the bloc. However, while some limited steps have been taken by national governments, overall progress is seriously lacking and many Member States have either yet to begin…

Now in force, the EMFA must become a reality for journalists

The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) comes fully into force today, 8 August 2025. Yet, in most EU Member States, the EMFA is still a long way from being implemented. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is calling on all EU governments to fulfil their obligations and execute the necessary reforms without delay for the EMFA to become the long-awaited shield that protects free and independent journalism in the European Union. “It’s historic. For the first time, there is a regulation dealing with the work of journalists, protecting journalism, media pluralism, transparency and many other issues we have never been…