Following the spell of recent elections in Europe and the U.S., the media have been blamed for either failing to deliver accurate information or exerting undue influence on the democratic processes. A media environment free from political influence is the cornerstone of any vibrant democracy. The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), introduced earlier this year, is an important step to safeguard this in the EU.
But media independence remains dangerously fragile in the Balkans. The Balkan Free Media Initiative’s (BFMI) latest report has exposed the depth of these vulnerabilities. The findings show that across both EU and EU candidate states in the region, media ownership is highly concentrated and heavily influenced by political and economic interests, undermining free speech and public trust in journalism.
