The Press Freedom Foundation of Vojvodina/Serbia wishes to commemorate World Press Freedom Day this year by focusing on negative trends. In both Serbia and Hungary, freedom of the media has been deteriorating for a good number of years. Those in position to rule over society, blinded by their boundless will to cling to power, are most afraid – not without reason – of the outspokenness of free and independent media.
If those in power did not have anything to hide, they would not have to be afraid of the media. Even local procurators would not have to order their minions to ignore inquiries by representatives of independent media. We assume some of the following are serious reasons they are afraid: immeasurable corruption in both countries, the unwillingness to accept responsibility for the political past and present, the handing over of public resources to oligarchs and puppets, the cowardly multi-decade classification of state contracts for railroads, nuclear power plants, Russian banks, Chinese universities, etc.)
Serbia and Hungary have been sinking for years based on the rankings by Reporters Without Borders (Data based on RSF)
Details of the data from this diagram are elaborated on in our story at the Szabad Magyar Szó news portal: “Sinking Ever Lower”
Our Foundation is appealing to those in power to take the courage and stand before the public, without fear of real questions and criticism, instead of employing obedient media workers.
We are also appealing to colleagues in the media who hold their professional and personal integrity dear to resist the pressure to remain silent or equivocate, to unduly glorify power, and to generate hatred of the Other.
UNESCO’s poster for this year’s World Press Freedom Day
