Press freedom in peril: navigating elections and political turmoil in Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria

As politics in Eastern Europe becomes increasingly volatile
during the super election year, press freedom is at grave risk.
Throughout the pre- and post-election periods, independent media
face numerous threats, including verbal and physical assaults,
cyber attacks, smear campaigns, and vexatious lawsuits.


 


As the dust settles on the European Parliament elections, and
Central and Eastern Europe gears up for more elections on local
and national levels, we analyze the state of press freedom in
Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria with the leading journalists from
these countries and members of IPI’s Central Europe Independent
Media Network. We also delve into the media environments in the
pre- and post-election periods and examine the major challenges
journalists face when covering elections. 


Guests: Patrycja Maciejewicz, head of Business Desk at Gazeta
Wyborcza, Poland


  Peter Hanak,  journalist at Aktuality, Slovakia 


              Angel
Petrov, international correspondent at Dnevnik, Bulgaria 


Producer and Host: Teona Sekhniashvili, Europe Network and Press
Freedom        


              Coordinator
at International Press Institute (IPI)


Editor: Javier Luque, Head of Digital Communications at
International Press Institute (IPI)


 


 
Other episodes in this series: 

 


Earth Day reflections: Italy’s climate reporting dilemma


Media Freedom in Focus: Untangling media capture in Greece


MFRR in Focus: Aftermath of Finland’s unprecedented state secrets
conviction


MFRR in Focus: Opposition wins Poland election


MFRR In Focus: Media in Slovakia brace for populist PM’s return


MFRR Podcast: Navigating Hungary’s new Sovereignty Protection Act
Related links: 

IPI’s Central Europe Independent Media Network


IPI condemns shooting of Slovak PM, expresses concerns over
backlash against media


Poland: Recommendations for democratic reform for press freedom
and public media


Media freedom groups call on Slovakia’s Parliament to reject
public broadcasting bill


Bulgaria Minister urged to drop defamation lawsuit