Defending the right to freedom of information and promoting the transnational public debate on violations registered in the European Union as well as in the enlargement and Eastern Partnership countries are the objectives of the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom - ECPMF , of which OBC Transeuropa is one of the founding members.
The services OBCT provides to ECPMF include the development and curation of the Resource Centre on Media Freedom in Europe and an ongoing work of information and in-depth analysis on key issues for European democracy, in network with numerous media partners in Italy and South-Eastern Europe.
Cyprus: Call for thorough investigations into surveillance of Makarios Drousiotis
Dimitri Bettoni | 19/9/2023OBC Transeuropa and other media advocacy organisations sent a letter to the Cypriot authorities, amid the lack of adequate investigations into the alleged surveillance of journalist Makarios Drousiotis.
MEDIA Greece: refugee reporting in times of surveillance
Thessaloniki | Mary Drosopoulos | 19/9/2023It could be the plot of a psychological thriller movie. It's the true story of a young investigative journalist, Stavros Malichudis, who unintentionally became one of the protagonists of the Greek Watergate. His reports, awarded with many international prizes, told the stories of refugees in Greece
The International Press Institute (IPI) battling targeted cyberattacks
Dimitri Bettoni | 18/9/2023According to the Institute, the attacks appears to be in retaliation for the work in favour of independent media outlets in Hungary, which were also targeted
INTERVIEW Surveillance: after Pegasus and Predator, the EU is (slowly) taking action
Paola Rosà | 18/9/2023While the European Parliament's Commission enquires on the various states where surveillance technologies have been commercialised despite the bans, the emphasis remains on civil society and digital security. Interview with Lorenzo Bagnoli of IrpiMedia
Journalists and spyware surveillance: an open letter to the European Parliament
Dimitri Bettoni | 15/9/2023The world of journalism is mobilizing and launching yet another heartfelt appeal to the European Parliament to introduce, in the proposed European Media Freedom Law (EMFA) under discussion, a total ban on the use of spying software against journalists
MEDIA Trudeau against Facebook: social media, copyright, and information
Paola Rosà | 15/9/2023In protest against the new Canadian law that requires social media to pay news organisations every time a user shares a link, Facebook has blocked access to news portals, earning the condemnation of Prime Minister Trudeau. In Europe, meanwhile, new regulations are on their way on the removal of content, advertising, and disinformation
24 International Organizations Call for an End to Russian War Crimes Against Journalists in Ukraine
7/9/2023OBCT joins 23 other civil society organizations to call for an end to Russian war crimes against journalists in Ukraine
MEDIA Wiretapping and trojans: the Nordio bill alarms journalists
Paola Rosà | 8/9/2023For the Italian Press National Federation and trade associations, the crackdown on the dissemination of transcripts is a new attack on freedom of the press and citizens' right to be informed. Even MPs are in turmoil, worried that the "cyber interceptor" – aka trojan - will get out of the hands of its users
Greece: Swift investigations required after two attacks against journalists
5/9/2023OBCT joins journalists’ and media freedom organisations in condemning recent attacks to Greek journalists Giorgos Papachristos and Kostas Vaxevanis
MEDIA European Media Freedom Act: the end of source confidentiality?
Dimitri Bettoni | 30/8/2023The new European regulation aims to protect the secrecy of journalistic sources, the key concept at the heart of journalism, but actually risks legitimising its systematic violation
REPORT Serbia, little security for online journalists
Ettore Morello | 23/8/2023A recent report by the Association of Independent Journalists of Serbia together with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network analyses the problems concerning the safety of journalists on the web, looking at the specific case of Serbia, and suggests how to make the editorial environment less dangerous
Kosovo: Media freedom groups welcome Klan Kosova court injunction decision
| 4/8/2023OBCT joins international media freedom organisations in welcoming the decision of the Kosovar Commercial Court blocking the suspension of Klan Kosova business licence
INTERVIEW Croatia, the new media bill is dangerous
Zagreb | Giovanni Vale | 27/7/2023“I don't know who wrote this bill, but I suspect that the main intention was to divide the Croatian media, creating havoc in the sector”, said Hrvoje Zovko, the president of the Association of Croatian Journalists (HND). We met him in Zagreb
MEDIA BiH: Republika Srpska reintroduces the crime of defamation
Sarajevo | Arman Fazlić | 24/7/2023On Thursday 20 July, the People's Assembly of the Republika Srpska adopted the Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code envisaging criminalization of defamation. Calls from international and local actors to protect freedom of speech and withdraw the controversial provision that qualifies defamation as a criminal offence have gone unheeded
Albania: urgent measures needed to safeguard journalists
| 20/7/2023OBCT condemns recent attacks against journalists in Albania and calls on authorities to ensure press freedom in the country
CASE Day of Action - an initiative against SLAPPs
12/7/2023On July 10 the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), of which OBCT is a member, promoted a Day of Action dedicated to the campaign against SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) targeting activists, human rights defenders, and journalists.
The Media Freedom Resource Centre is an open online platform that facilitates quick and systematic access to an ever-growing collection of resources on media freedom and pluralism, such as region-wide and country-specific publication and practical tools for journalists, practitioners, policy makers. Whether you are journalist, a media expert or an organisation, use this crowd-sourcing platform to share and disseminate your materials!
Building on a previous Wiki GLAM initiative, Wiki4MediaFreedom aims at boosting the availability of accurate knowledge on media freedom and pluralism in Europe on Wikipedia. People who are willing to contribute, learn and help disseminate in languages other than English relevant information on these topics are very welcome to join!
Through a partnership between Index on Censorship, European Federation of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders Mapping Media Freedom monitors and visualises the state of media freedom in Europe by crowdsourcing reports of violations and limitations from journalists and press freedom watchdogs. Get involved!

OBCT took part in the European project Safety Net for European Journalists. A Transnational Support Network for Media Freedom in Italy and South-east Europe

24 Vesti Macedonia- The first Macedonian all news TV channel and on-line news provider All the news |
Beta Serbia- One of the main Serbian press agencies All the news |
Bianet Turkey- Independent press agency, with a special focus on civil society All the news |
Courrier des Balkans France- The main French on-line news provider on South East Europe All the news |
Dilema Veche Romania- Romania's main weekly, focusing on culture and social issues. It has both a paper and on-line version All the news |
H-Alter Croatia- Independent on-line news provider, with a special focus on civil society All the news |
MediaCentar Bosnia Herzegovina- Supporting the development of independent and professional journalism in Bosnia and Herzegovina All the news |
Mediapool Bulgaria- Created in 2001, it is the oldest Bulgarian on-line news provider All the news |
Kosovo 2.0 Kosovo- is an online magazine which, since 2010, involves talented young media professionals in Kosovo. All content is published in Albanian, English and Serbian. It has 14.200 fans in Facebook and 4.900 Twitter followers All the news |
Radio Popolare Italy- Broadcasting from Milan, Popolare is both a radio and a network of 17 of the Italian main radio stations covering among other Rome, Florence, Turin, Venice All the news |
Radio Študent Slovenia - One of Europe's oldest and strongest independent and non-commercial urban radio stations All the news |
Shqiptarja Albania- Independent media-group based in Tirana All the news |
Athens Live Greece- Independent media, on-the-ground source for stories, news, and images from Athens and throughout Greece. All the news |
Vijesti Montenegro- The main daily newspaper in Montenegro. It has both a paper and an on-line version. It started its publications in 1997 All the news |
Former partner of the network (2015-2016): The Press Project Greece- Daily on-line news provider on Greece. Specialized in features and analyses
All the news
The project European Centre for Press and Media Freedom is co-funded by the European Commission