The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined media freedom groups in welcoming the conviction of the two gang members who supplied car bomb which killed Maltese journalist. Guilty verdicts handed down to two gang members who supplied the car bomb which killed Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia mark another vital step forward in the fight for full justice, the undersigned media freedom organisations said today. We jointly hail the convictions of Robert Agius and Jamie Vella, reached via a jury in Valletta on June 5, as a crucial development in the fight against impunity which we hope will strengthen the…

Following the victory of Karol Nawrocki in Poland’s presidential election on 1 June, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned media freedom organisations today in calling on the president elect to commit to building a cross-party consensus required to bolster press freedom and strengthen Polish democracy. Though the election of the Nawrocki, an ally of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, pits him in opposition to the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, our organisations jointly stress the need for genuine and effective cooperation to drive forward much needed reforms to the media ecosystem, including on Strategic Lawsuits…

On 13 May, the Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán presented a draft of a new foreign funding bill which represents the most serious attack on Hungarian media in years and is the latest step in a more than decade-long campaign by the government to stigmatise independent journalism, undermine its business model and systematically erode media pluralism. If passed, this legislation would effectively represent the first foreign agent-style law in the European Union, marking another milestone in Hungary’s democratic decline and deepening the crackdown in what has long been the EU’s worst country for media freedom. Hungary has already…

Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) requested information from two media outlets, LETA and Re:Baltica, about content published on their websites in the context of the pre-election municipal campaign to be held on 7 June 2025. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliate the Latvian Journalists’ Association (LŽA) in expressing its concern about questions by a state agency into editorial decisions. On 14 and 15 May 2025, Latvia’s news agency LETA and the Baltic Centre for Investigative Journalism Re:Baltica, received similar letters from the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) to provide explanations regarding published content about…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) to raise alarm over numerous incidents of intimidation and obstruction faced by journalists covering the Albanian parliamentary elections. Since the 11 May election, at least 20 journalists and media entities have faced reporting interference and pressure, including from public officials. All incidents were captured in multiple videos. Throughout election day, at least five journalists covering the vote experienced alarming incidents across the country, including verbal abuse, physical aggression, and interference in their reporting. Incidents documented by the MFRR and…

A newly introduced bill which would allow for the blacklisting, financial restriction and potential closure of media outlets and civil society organisations receiving foreign funds poses a severe threat to independent journalism and press freedom and should be immediately challenged under EU law, the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) said today. Draft legislation submitted on May 13 by the Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán represents the most serious attack on Hungarian media in years and is the latest step in a more than decade-long campaign by the government to stigmatise independent journalism, undermine its…