Media Capture in Eastern-Europe: Press Freedom under pressure

Media freedom belongs to the fundamental democratic rights in the European Union. However, in some member states this right is jeopardized. In Poland and Hungary for instance, the governments transformed public service media into propaganda machines. They also control vast segments of the private media market. Journalist being critical towards the government are excluded from political information and harassed with smear campaigns. The embarrassment is huge, but the competences of the European Commission are limited. Which political instruments can be used to restore media freedom and the rule of law?

Dieses Panel findet auf Englisch statt.