“In many places – though fortunately no longer in Slovenia – the public media are subject to subjugation attempts.”

On Tuesday, 3 October 2023, during the Strasbourg plenary session, MEP Irena Joveva discussed the European Media Freedom Act. She stressed that the risk of undermining media freedom exists across the European Union and that no country is immune. “The public media, a pillar of credible information for the people, are in many places – though fortunately no longer in Slovenia – at the very least subject to subjugation attempts.”

The MEP began her speech by noting that in the European Union’s endeavours to defend the rule of law, the media have always been somewhat neglected, even though their independence is a prerequisite for the functioning of our democracy.

“In some Member States media systems are functioning well, but, unfortunately, in many countries they are completely subjugated. In those cases, they have become the primary tool for manipulating people in order for certain political structures to maintain power. Hungary, Poland…”

She proceeded to mention the potential threat to media freedom throughout the European Union, which she corroborated with proven cases of spying, even murders of journalists on European soil, and non-transparent takeovers of media companies for vested interests. “The public media, a pillar of credible information for the people, are in many places – though fortunately no longer in Slovenia – at the very least subject to subjugation attempts.”

The MEP believes it was high time to adopt additional legal safeguards at the European level. The Parliament has put in place the necessary legal framework to ensure protection, which is the most it can do as legislator.

“There is no magic wand to solve all the issues that have accumulated,” warned Joveva, who is convinced that the European Media Freedom Act is currently the most decisive step towards ensuring just that: media freedom. “No one should be afraid of it… except those who aim to undermine it,” she concluded.

Today, MEPs also voted on the Act. It was adopted by 448 votes to 102, with 75 abstentions. Joveva was one of the rapporteurs drafting the parliamentary text on behalf of her political group Renew Europe in the responsible Committee on Culture and Education.

You can watch her plenary address here.

Photo: EP – Mathieu Cugnot