Strasbourg, 14 December 2022
The Members of the European Parliament discussed the Commission’s reports on the situation of journalists and the implications of the rule of law in their plenary session.
Željana Zovko, Vice Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs expressed her full support to the conclusion of the Commission’s 2022 report on the rule of law that states that independent and free media are the watchdogs of democracy and are key for the rule of law.
“Free media is helping to inform and empower citizens and allows them to contribute to the democratic debate. Therefore, I underline the importance that both local and national media reflect the cultural, linguistic and social diversity of our societies.” Zovko stated.
She underlined that journalists and other media actors continue to face violence, threats and harassment in the EU. Recent legislative reforms have limited these abuses in our Member States, and Zovko welcomed the supportive actions by the Commission in this regard.
Still, the MEP calls for further actions to be taken. “We need to safeguard the transparency of ownership and funding of media providers. We should establish actions that help in the fight against disinformation and provide measures for the prevention of corruption. Journalists deserve to operate with a free mind and without external pressure.” Zovko stressed.