Tag: media freedom

The Greek extreme-right Chryssi Avgi party has made unmasked threats against a leading journalist. Asked to comment, the European Commission yesterday (7 May) has reaffirmed its commitments to press freedom, but referred the issue to the country's authorities.

Prominent Turkish journalists on trial for alleged links to an underground anti-government network called the conspiracy charges against them "political" in a case that has raised concerns over media freedom in Turkey. 

The European Union has long been hailed as one of the areas of the world with the greatest press freedom. However, NGOs and international organisations warn that this may be under threat as the media becomes increasingly concentrated in ever fewer hands and some governments engage in politically-motivated lawsuits and outright censorship.

Georgian journalists protested yesterday (11 July) over the arrest of three photographers accused of spying for Russia in a case that has concerned diplomats and shaken media circles in the former Soviet Republic.

MEPs and prominent professionals in the media world warned yesterday (3 March) that press freedom had deteriorated badly in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, but also Italy and France, and called on the EU institutions to spearhead a wide-ranging "reconquest" of basic rights across the European Union.

The controversy surrounding the Hungarian media law has triggered heated comments in EU circles, but few bothered to look at the situation in other countries. EurActiv's network takes up the challenge with this first article focusing on the EU's two largest members, France and Germany.

The socialist opposition in EU candidate country Macedonia has announced it is leaving the country's parliament, in protest against a move by the centre-right government to block the bank accounts of several media companies.

Hungary is "sort of European" but not in the same way as France or Germany. Meanwhile it's very easy for the West to project its own feelings of disappointment on Budapest by claiming it is guilty, Hungarian MEP György Schöpflin (Fidesz; European People's Party) told EurActiv in an exclusive interview.

Controversial legislation recently adopted by Hungary's ruling majority has apparently been straining relations with the European Commission since the country took over the rotating EU presidency at the beginning of the year.