Report states press freedom fading in EU
(MENAFN) Media freedom is increasingly under threat in several European Union countries, according to a new report by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties). The group’s Media Freedom 2025 report highlights growing concerns over the erosion of pluralism and free expression, citing rising government influence and the concentration of media ownership in the hands of wealthy elites.
The report outlines a number of challenges faced by independent journalists and media outlets, including political interference in public broadcasting, lack of transparency in media ownership, legal harassment, and physical threats. These pressures, the report warns, are undermining the independence of journalism and narrowing the diversity of viewpoints, leading to a decline in public trust.
Countries such as Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Croatia, France, Hungary, Slovakia, and Spain were named as having particularly troubling media environments. In these states, public broadcasters are frequently influenced by political interests, and legal safeguards for journalists are either inadequate or poorly enforced.
In 2024 alone, Liberties documented at least 156 cases of physical or verbal assaults against journalists. The report also highlighted the continued use of SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) to silence investigative reporting, despite EU initiatives aimed at curbing their misuse.
Additionally, the report raised alarms over the treatment of Russian and Belarusian journalists within the EU, noting cases of surveillance, threats, and harassment. These concerns intensified after Russian news agency RIA Novosti was denied press accreditation for 2025 under EU sanctions. The outlet has appealed the decision, referencing the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and previous assurances that press freedoms would be respected.
The rejection is part of a broader crackdown on Russian media following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The EU has already banned Russian state-run outlets such as RT, Sputnik, and RIA, and in its latest sanctions package adopted in February 2025, the bloc blacklisted eight additional Russian media organizations, including Lenta.ru and Zvezda TV.
Russian authorities have condemned these actions, accusing the EU of suppressing alternative viewpoints and restricting access to non-Western perspectives on global events.
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