MEPs accuse EU countries of undermining efforts to protect journalists

2023-06-27 08:09:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

European Union member states are trying to soften the directives on SLAPP and Freedom of the Media. Now the European Parliament is pledging to take action.

European lawmakers are accusing member states of trying to water down EU legislation aimed at strengthening protections for journalists and media freedom.

The European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) will vote on Tuesday on an anti-SLAPP directive first proposed by the Commission in April 2022 that would allow judges to quickly dismiss groundless lawsuits against journalists and human rights defenders.

It would also establish certain procedural safeguards and remedies, such as punitive damages and penalties for filing abusive lawsuits.

The JURI vote will form the basis of the Parliament's position in the negotiations with the member states if it is also approved by the plenary session in mid-July.

SLAPPs or strategic public participation lawsuits are a particular form of harassment used primarily against journalists and human rights defenders to prevent or penalize speaking out on issues of public interest.

The Commission's proposal is called the 'Daphne Law' in honor of the murdered Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Member states, which together form the Council of the EU, have however tried to water down the text, drawing criticism for the Commission.

"I wish to express my regret regarding the weakening of legal remedies against abusive judicial proceedings, in particular the deletion of the provision for compensation of damage and the weakening of the provision for the award of costs," said Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice. earlier this month after member countries agreed on their negotiating position.

Parliament is looking to rectify this with German MEP Tiemo Wölken (S&D), the rapporteur for the draft directive, telling Euronews: "We made it stronger and also added other provisions, such as creating a 'one-stop sport' " which SLAPP approves. targets can reach out for help from dedicated national networks of specialized attorneys, legal practitioners and psychologists."

An 'almost useless' Media Freedom Act

It is not the first time that member states have been accused of trying to defeat a proposal on media freedom.

Earlier this month, an agreement between the 27 member states on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) raised many eyebrows, due to a planned exception to allow wiretapping of journalists.

The regulation, first proposed by the Commission in September 2022, included safeguards against political interference in editorial decisions and against surveillance. The EU executive wanted to focus on the independence and sustainable funding of public service media, as well as transparency of media ownership and distribution of state advertising.

"Ne e kemi mirëpritur në veçanti si simbol politik projekt-rregulloren për EMFA, pasi Komisioni për herë të parë ka miratuar një akt legjislativ që ka të bëjë me të gjitha mediat, një temë tradicionalisht e ndjeshme e trajtuar vetëm në nivel kombëtar," Renate Schroeder, drejtore e Federata Evropiane e Gazetarëve (EFJ), tha për Euronews.

Megjithatë, EPJ dhe OJQ të tjera, ende e kritikuan propozimin si "jo mjaftueshëm ambicioz".

"Në veçanti ne besuam se neni 4 mbi mbrojtjen e burimeve të gazetarëve dhe mbrojtjen nga vëzhgimi nuk ka përmbushur standardet e Këshillit të Evropës. Ne mbrojtëm gjithashtu rregulla më të forta detyruese për transparencën e medias," shtoi Shrëder.

Por shtetet anëtare po kërkojnë të shtojnë një përjashtim në nenin 4, të prezantuar nga Franca dhe të kundërshtuar vetëm nga Gjermania, që do t'i lejojë ata të spiunojnë gazetarët në emër të sigurisë kombëtare.

Propozimi origjinal synonte të siguronte që qeveritë nuk mund të "ndalonin, sanksiononin, përgjonin, të nënshtroheshin vëzhgimit ose kontrollonin dhe kapnin" gazetarët me qëllim zbulimin e burimeve të tyre, përveç rasteve kur "justifikohet nga një kërkesë mbizotëruese në interesin publik" gjatë vendosjes së programeve spyware. do të kufizohej vetëm në "krime të rënda".

Këshilli shpreson të zgjerojë numrin e shkeljeve që lejojnë një mbikëqyrje të tillë nga 10 në 32.

"Teksti mbron më gazetarët dhe në këtë mënyrë e bën Aktin pothuajse të padobishëm për mbrojtjen e gazetarëve të paktën," tha Schroeder.

"It still proposes useful tools when it comes to the independence of the public service media, transparency in state advertising, some minimum rules for media ownership and editorial independence. But yes, some member states are afraid of journalism and thus they lend a hand to illiberal countries, such as Hungary, which opposes the law. We hope that the European Parliament will be determined, but we are not very optimistic," underlined the director of the EFJ./ CNA