The decline of media freedom and pluralism has continued throughout the European Union (EU), according to a report by the non-governmental organization Libertis, which particularly points to the problem of political pressure on public services, high concentration of media ownership and abuse of lawsuits against journalists.
"The report shows an increase in physical attacks, often by the police, and the abuse of lawsuits against journalists, the abuse of data protection regulations to limit freedom of information, the concentration of ownership that threatens media pluralism, and the use of national security as an excuse to enact laws restricting freedom of speech," Libertis announced.
The report, published on April 24, covers 18 EU member states, and more than 20 European civil liberties organizations participated in its compilation.
The concentration of media ownership exists in many EU countries, including Croatia, Italy, Poland and Slovenia, according to the report.
Ownership in the Czech Republic and France is largely concentrated in the hands of a few powerful people, and in Hungary the government still controls the media, either directly or through friendly oligarchs.
Libertis also assesses that the political changes that took place last year may have serious consequences for media freedom, good or bad.
In November, the new government in Slovenia adopted amendments aimed at depoliticizing the public series, which "gives hope that its editorial independence can be restored", since the previous Prime Minister Janez Janša tried to control it.
On the other hand, the report warns that the election results in Sweden are worrying, as the new right-wing government has stepped up pressure on the public service, claiming it is biased and threatening to cut its budget. There is also concern that the new foreign espionage law could have a negative impact on the work of investigative journalists.
"Another worrisome tactic to increase media control is the use of state advertising. State funds are directed to pro-government media, depriving independent media of an essential source of income," the statement said.
As an example, Poland and Hungary stand out, where pro-government media have been receiving significantly more financial support for years, while the European Commission (EC) rejected complaints about the abuse of state-funded advertising distribution in Hungary.
The report also shows that journalists continue to face verbal and physical attacks, harassment, intimidation, hate speech and smear campaigns.
Strategic anti-public participation lawsuits (SLAPPs), which powerful politicians, companies and others use to silence critics, are also on the rise.
In Croatia alone, more than 950 lawsuits were filed against the media and journalists in 2022, in which prosecutors are demanding more than 10 million euros in compensation.
"Like most other EU countries, Croatia does not have rules to stop this legal harassment," said Libertis.
The report also points out that there is growing concern in Romania and Slovakia that national security is being used as an excuse to pass laws restricting freedom of expression, while freedom of information is restricted in several EU countries, including Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain.
The second annual report on media freedom presents evidence and analyzes of key events in the field of media freedom and pluralism, safety and protection of journalists, and freedom of expression and information during 2022.
That year, as stated in the announcement, the media markets were affected by the adoption of important regulations such as the Law on Digital Services and the Law on Digital Markets or the proposal of the Law on Media Freedoms, as well as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and elections in several EU member states.
The report calls on the members of the European Parliament (EP) to adopt the strongest possible law on media freedom, which could significantly influence the shaping of a better European media environment.
Libertis also made other recommendations for EU institutions to strengthen media freedoms and pluralism, including ensuring transparency of media ownership, strengthening independent journalism, adopting a strong anti-SLAPP directive and closely monitoring and reporting media freedom violations.
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