The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its Broadcasting Expert Group (BREG) expressed in an open letter its deep concerns about the alarming situation in which the Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT) currently finds itself. The public service media, crucial for informing citizens and preserving media pluralism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, have long been facing serious financial difficulties that threaten its survival and daily operation, as well as violate employees’ labour rights. With this letter, the EFJ urges the BiH institutions to take immediate action to ensure the stable funding and functioning of BHRT by: Ensuring a regular and…

The members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium and partner organisations of the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform are deeply concerned about the ongoing year-long persecution campaign against journalist Dinko Gruhonjić, programme Director of the Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV) and Associate Professor at the Department of Media Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad. Fifteen attacks against Dinko Gruhonjić have been documented on the MFRR platform since 14 March 2024, when a manipulated video was released falsely portraying him as a political opponent. The majority of these attacks (80%) were threatening…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the Safe Journalists Network (SJN) and the undersigned media freedom and civil society organisations in expressing serious concern regarding the Albanian Council of Ministers’ decision on March 6, 2025, to suspend nationwide access to the TikTok platform for 12 months. While we acknowledge the government’s stated intention to protect children from harmful content and safeguard personal data, we strongly underline that such protective measures must fully respect fundamental human rights, particularly freedom of expression, access to information, and due process. Freedom of Expression and Proportionality We emphasize that a total platform ban represents an…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the undersigned press freedom, journalists, and freedom of expression organisations in expressing deep concern over the new wave of repressive legislation, increasing threats to journalists’ safety, and the broader decline of media freedom in Georgia. We urge the international community, especially the European Union (EU), to address the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and support Georgia’s embattled independent media sector. On 24 February 2025, the Georgian Dream ruling party and its satellite party People’s Power introduced amendments to the Law on Broadcasting, strengthening the censorship powers of the broadcast regulator and restricting “foreign powers” from funding broadcasters…

On the eve of International Women’s Day, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) publishes two portraits of women journalists, Aksana Brovach and Georgine Kellermann, who shared last week pivotal moments in their career at the second edition of Voices, European Festival of Journalism and Media Literacy in Zagreb, Croatia. One is a journalist from Belarus forced into exile to continue her journalistic work; the other is a journalist from Germany who hid her true identity as a trans woman for 37 years, fearing a hostile work environment and damage to her reputation. Aksana Brovach and Georgine Kellermann are two models…

Ahead of the International Women’s Day, on 8 March, the Gender and Diversity Expert Group (GENDEG) of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls upon all unions, media companies, and journalists to work towards achieving equal working and professional conditions for women journalists across Europe. “The first results from our recent survey highlight the persistent gender inequality in the media in Europe. Women journalists, particularly mothers, continue to face greater obstacles in career advancement and experience more discrimination and harassment in the workplace compared to their male counterparts. We still have a long way to go, and the whole sector…

Film and television production workers in Finland will cease work on 8 March after the Union of Journalists of Finland (UJF) and the Union for Theatre and Media (Teme) called a strike for the first time in decades. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) stands in full solidarity with the striking media workers and supports their demands for improved working conditions and higher wages.  Negotiations between the UJF and the employers’ association Palta at the office of the National Conciliator for the collective agreement for film and television production have stalled after two months. While a strike notice was issued…

Oštro, Centre for Investigative Journalism in the Adriatic region, has been the target of an unprecedented smear campaign for several weeks since Meta’s announcement to stop its fact-checking programme in the United States. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) interviewed its founder, Anuška Delić, an award-winning investigative journalist. Delić reflects on the toxic climate in which she and her team of journalists have to work. Could you tell us about Oštro and its mission? Anuška Delić: Oštro nurtures investigative and data journalism. I established it in Slovenia, and in 2021 Oštro founded a namesake sister organisation in Zagreb, Croatia. Oštro’s…

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners and SafeJournalists Network (SJN) strongly condemn the adoption of legislation in the Republika Srpska entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina which will establish a “special registry” of NGOs, many of which are independent media. Viewed as retaliation against government critics, this law raises concerns about its potential use in labeling independent media and civil society organisations as foreign agents. Our coalition has long opposed the adoption of such legislation in Republika Srpska and now calls for the approved law to be immediately rescinded and for the international community to forcefully oppose the law. On 27 February, Republika Srpska…

The risks that journalists faced covering the war of aggression of Russia against Ukraine remained the most pressing concern related to the safety of journalists in Europe in 2024, according to the annual report of the partner organisations to the Council of Europe’s Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists. The report, entitled “Europe Press Freedom Report 2024: Confronting Political Pressure, Disinformation and the Erosion of Media Independence”, also identifies as serious threats the digital surveillance of journalists and its risks to source confidentiality, the transnational repression of journalists – notably, from Russia and Belarus -,…

By Maja Sever, EFJ President Something remarkable happened at the Voices Festival in Zagreb. Young journalists took over the microphones, cameras, social media, and stage, proving that a new generation is emerging – one that knows what it wants and how to achieve it. They were not just there to cover events; they were creating them, analysing them, raising important issues, and asking the right questions without hesitation. Over the three days of the festival, they filmed, debated, listened, and shared their experiences. Their passion for journalism did not remain just theoretical – they demonstrated what engaged and responsible reporting…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) join partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) in strongly condemning the escalating and systematic attacks on journalists and NGOs in Serbia, where violence, obstruction, and intimidation are being tolerated and perpetrated at the highest levels of government.  In the aftermath of the deadly collapse of the roof of the Novi Sad railway station on 1 November 2024, journalists have come under unacceptable pressure while covering the tragic story and the subsequent protests. The majority of incidents logged on the Mapping Media Freedom platform are instances of…

Voices Festival 2025, held in Zagreb from 27 February to 1 March, was a time for celebration and reflection but also an opportunity to express solidarity with journalists deprived of their freedom in Belarus or forced to live in exile. The film “Under the Gray Sky,” directed by Mara Tamkovich, was screened on 28 February. The movie depicts the story of Belarusian journalists Katsiaryna Andreyeva and Darya Chultsova, who were imprisoned for reporting on protests in Minsk’s Square of Changes in 2020. Following the screening, director Mara Tamkovich met the audience and answered questions about the realities of working in…

European social partners in the audiovisual sector published their Framework of Actions on diversity and inclusion, on 26 February 2025. The document puts forward recommendations for actions by employers’ and workers’ organisations, as well as other relevant stakeholders, such as educational institutions. Recommendations are grouped in four chapters that address: the pathways into the sector; inclusive workplaces and work processes; diversity on screen; and monitoring processes. The list of suggested actions is not exhaustive but a guiding framework to be adapted and adjusted depending on each organisation, its size, its mission, and the territories it operates in. All sector organisations are however invited to take some action…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned international media freedom and journalist groups today in raising concerns over a planned “political neutrality” audit recently approved by the supervisory body of the Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) and warn that the measure could negatively affect editorial independence at the public broadcaster. Our organisations jointly question the need for such an action by the LRT Council Committee and warn that rather than improve political neutrality it could instead lead to self-censorship by journalists and management at the broadcaster. As press freedom organisations working at the EU level, we note…

The European and the International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) join their Ukrainian affiliates, in condemning the killing of Ukrainian journalist Tetiana Kulyk, a member of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), by a Russian drone attack in the Kyiv region on 26 February 2025.  Two days after the third anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, journalist Tetyana Kulyk of the Ukrinform news agency and her husband, Pavlo Ivanchov, were killed in their home by a Russian drone, in the Bucha district of Kyiv Oblast. According to Ukrinform, rescuers found the two dead bodies while extinguishing the…