United States Agency for Global Media

COVID Crisis and Media Freedom: Focus on Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania

May 28, 2020

Democratic backsliding and the public’s demand for reliable sources of information during the coronavirus pandemic in Central and Southeast Europe have made the search for ways to support media freedom more urgent than ever before. Emergency measures enacted in response to the pandemic in Hungary and Bulgaria have created an intimidating environment for journalists and threatened fundamental rights, including the freedom of speech, while Romania’s strict quarantine provisions have led to accusations of official infringements on individual rights and freedoms. Read More