The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in highlighting ongoing press freedom concerns in Ukraine, over two years following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. While Ukraine was at first quick to unite in the face of armed aggression, setting aside internal conflicts and arguments, the climate of trust between officials and independent media seems to have seriously deteriorated, two years on. Repeated surveillance of journalists In comparison to neighbouring Russia and Belarus, Ukraine has long been a haven for independent media, offering local journalists the opportunity to criticise power without fear of…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) radically disputes the conclusions of a study commissioned by the European Commission to assess the implementation of the EU Recommendation on the protection, safety and empowerment of journalists. The report points to supposed progress that in fact remains marginal, if not ineffective. On 3 May, the European Commission published the study carried out by Intellera Consulting, Open Evidence and PwC assessing the efforts made by EU Member States since the publication in 2021 of the highly relevant EU Recommendation on the Safety of Journalists. According to the EU press release, “EU countries show progress…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today joined press freedom, journalists and human rights organisations in writing to Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, urging him to withdraw the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, guarantee the safety of journalists and uphold press freedom in Georgia. Dear Prime Minister Kobakhidze, We, the undersigned international press freedom, journalists and human rights organizations, are writing to express our deep alarm about the reintroduction of the bill on Transparency of Foreign Influence and the sudden rise in violence and other restrictions against Georgia’s journalists reporting on the public protests against the Bill. We…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Croatian affiliates, the Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) and the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists (TUCJ), in condemning the call by the far-right political party Homeland Movement to cut public funding for media outlet Novosti, which is published by the Serbian National Council, SNV, an organisation representing the Serb minority in Croatia. On 8 May 2024, at a press conference in Šibenik, the leader of the far-right Homeland Movement, Ivan Penava, declared that his party would only support a new government coalition led by the conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) if it cuts…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its affiliate in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosnia-Herzegovina Journalists’ Association (BHJA), in demanding the reactivation throughout the country of the federal public channel FTV, whose TV and radio broadcasts were interrupted at 6am on 8 May following a decision by the management of the public broadcaster BHRT in a financial dispute between the two entities. The EFJ and BHJA denounce the mess that has led to the interruption of FTV’s broadcasting, in a context of irresponsible political interference contrary to the public interest. We call on the journalists of the two public broadcasters…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined four international media freedom organisations and its six affiliates in the SafeJournalist network in demanding that the authorities in Northern Macedonia put an end to the harassment of journalist Furkan Saliu. Here is the letter we sent on 8 May to the Minister of the Interior, Pance Toskovski, and the President of the VMRO-DPMNE right-wing party, Hristijan Mickoski. Dear Minister for Internal Affairs Mr. Pance Toskovski, Dear President of VMRO DPMNE Mr. Hristijan Mickoski, The undersigned media freedom and freedom of expression organisations are writing to express our grave concern at the harassment…