Latest news with #EU-Balkans
Euronews
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Europe best region in world for press freedom but situation worsening, says RSF
ADVERTISEMENT Europe may be the leading region in the world when it comes to press freedom, but in its latest report , Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warns that the situation on the continent is deteriorating. Funding cuts from major donors are threatening newsrooms, especially independent ones, with some outlets having to contend with the end of American aid and the strengthening of Russian propaganda. "Today, Donald Trump is as much a threat to the media in Europe as Vladimir Putin", said Pavol Szalai, the head of the EU-Balkans office at RSF. Norway, Estonia and the Netherlands top the RSF press freedom ranking and in contrast, Greece, Serbia and Kosovo are the continent's lowest-ranked countries, coming in at 89th, 96th and 99th place respectively out of 180 countries. Within the European Union, Greece is in last place. Media rights groups and opposition campaigners hold mirrors during a protest in front of Serbian appeals court in Belgrade, 5 February, 2024 AP Photo "In Greece, press freedom is really stifled by the impunity of crimes committed against journalists. I'm talking about the murder of journalist Giorgos Karaïvaz in 2021. There has been a trial and the accused were acquitted," Szalai said. "There has also been the biggest surveillance of journalists in the EU. In Greece, more than 10 media professionals were targeted by Predator spyware, which gave its name to the now-famous Predatorgate affair," he added. Hungary, criticised for its attacks on the rule of law, is in 68th place, ranking higher than Greece "because journalists are not killed or imprisoned there", explained Szalai. However, he pointed out that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán uses other means to control information. "80% of the media are controlled by Orbán's friends. And in this respect, Orbán has steadily tightened his grip on the media," he said. Europe is in the lead, but... While Europe remains the safest place for the media, Reporters Without Borders cautioned the EU to remain vigilant. "Press freedom has deteriorated further in Europe," said Szalai. However, the EU does have the legislative means to protect journalists after "the adoption last year of the European Act on Freedom of the Media, which is a historic legislation." The act aims to strengthen the independence of newsrooms, protect sources and ensure greater transparency in media ownership. It also aims to protect journalists against all forms of espionage. But the regulations are not applied in the same way by all member states, said Szalai. ADVERTISEMENT Participants wave national flags during a demonstration against public media at the MTVA headquarters in Budapest, 5 October, 2024 Hermann J. Knippertz/AP2003 Reporters Without Borders is calling on European governments to introduce measures to help the media, with the NGO giving the need for innovative funding models or tax breaks as examples. The organisation also wants digital platforms to defend and promote credible media outlets. "Unfortunately, today's platforms tend to promote rumours and propaganda rather than reliable information," said Szalai. He said there is a need for member states to fund the media after the vacuum created by the United States' financial and political withdrawal. ADVERTISEMENT
The Guardian
23-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Press freedom in Serbia is facing a dangerous turning point, warn editors
Press freedom in Serbia is now facing a 'dangerous turning point' after mounting pressure on independent outlets from ministers and state-backed media, a group of senior editors has warned. The editors, who are all from publications within the independent United Media group, said their reporters faced 'constant harassment, physical attacks and smear campaigns' after their reporting in the country, which has been gripped by protests against its autocratic president, Aleksandar Vučić. Their intervention follows what appears to have been the largest anticorruption demonstration in Serbia's history this month. The mass gathering in Belgrade marked the culmination of four months of protests against the government after the deadly collapse of a concrete train station canopy in the northern city of Novi Sadlast November. Civil society groups have been warning for months about an increasingly hostile environment for independent media since the station collapse, which killed 16 people and set in motion a political backlash against Vučić's pro-Russia administration. 'The media in Serbia is at a dangerous turning point,' wrote the editors in an open letter signed by five outlets and included Igor Božić, the news director of the CNN-affiliated N1 Serbia. 'The government is stepping up its attack on independent journalism, especially targeting outlets within United Media, as the political crisis worsens and public frustration grows. 'Instead of addressing real public issues, the government creates false stories that paint independent media as foreign agents and enemies of the state. As a result, our reporters are assaulted, blocked from official events, and targeted with disinformation meant to break public trust.' Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has said the pressure exerted on the media in Serbia has reached levels not seen since the 1990s. It has also urged the EU to condemn a raid on the offices of the Centre for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), an NGO that runs a prominent fact-checking website. Pavol Szalai, the head of the RSF's EU-Balkans desk, said Serbia was 98th out of 180 countries and territories on the world press freedom index last year, its lowest ranking in 22 years of the index. There have been several reports of hostility towards independent journalists since the train station tragedy. At the end of last year, the N1 journalist Žaklina Tatalović and her cameraperson Nikola Popović were harassed while covering protests. Local press freedom groups said at the time that Tatalović and Popović had endured sexist insults and physical violence. Police officers were accused of failing to intervene. Another N1 reporter Jelena Mirković was attacked while covering protests against the demolition of a bridge. She suffered a neck injury and was subsequently unable to work. Last month, fellow N1 journalist Ksenija Pavkov was verbally threatened while reporting. In their letter, the group of editors said Vučić was falsely accusing journalists of 'stirring unrest'. They also said financial and regulatory pressures were being applied, forcing away advertisers and business partners. 'With ongoing student protests and a dissolved government awaiting new elections, we are deeply concerned for the safety of our reporters on the ground,' they wrote. 'The growing hostility toward independent media, fuelled by orchestrated government rhetoric, has created an environment where violence is not only allowed but even encouraged. 'In the past four months alone, our journalists, including Zaklina Tatalović, Ksenija Pavkov, and Jelena Mirković, have suffered both physical and verbal attacks. Despite clear video evidence of the perpetrators, the police have done nothing to hold them accountable.' Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion Half a million people have also signed an online petition calling for an independent investigation into whether security forces in Serbia used a sonic weapon – what the petition described as a 'sound cannon' – during the rally on 15 March. Vučić remains under pressure and faces the most dangerous moment of his 12-year grip on power. Protests have been a regular feature in Serbia since November. The president has so far sought to deflect the blame, with a series of resignations arising from the station collapse. The Serbian government, led by the prime minister, Miloš Vučević, formally resigned last week, with Vučić saying elections could follow in June. Protesters are demanding accountability for the disaster at Novi Sad, as well as more transparent institutions based on the rule of law. More than a dozen people have been charged in relation to the canopy collapse. On Friday, it was announced that a teenager had become the latest to die from injuries sustained in the disaster. As many as 325,000 people took to the streets of Belgrade on 15 March, though the government has disputed those estimates. V ideo footage shows crowds suddenly splitting, with some complaining of feeling the ill effects associated with the use of a sonic weapon. However, senior government politicians and police have denied that such a weapon was deployed. Vučić described the claim as a 'wicked lie' that was aimed at 'destroying Serbia'.
