The situation regarding media freedom in Georgia worsened last year, with the country dropping from 77th to 103rd place in the World Press Freedom Index.
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On May 3, the International Press Freedom Day, the human rights organization Reporters Without Borders published its annual ranking. The organization notes that the situation has significantly worsened in Georgia, where "Its ruling party continues to polarise society, cultivates a rapprochement with Moscow and conducts a policy that is increasingly hostile to press freedom.”
“The government still hasn’t fulfilled the European Union’s recommendation on press freedom, a necessary step before starting negotiations on membership. Contrary to previous reforms strengthening pluralism and transparency in the media,
it even made clear its aim to control independent radio stations and television networks via a reform of the law on electronic communication, as well as a bill on “foreign agents”, copied from Russian law,
which was ultimately scrapped following street protests and international pressure,” we read in the report, which reviews the events of 2023 and does not reflect the return of the Russian law in 2024 by the ruling Georgian Dream".
Reporters Without Borders reiterates that government interference undermines efforts to improve press freedom. The environment remains hostile for independent and opposition media, with increasing numbers of verbal and physical attacks on journalists. There are attempts to pass laws aimed at marginalizing independent media and narrowing the space for free speech.
As in previous years, the 2023 report states that the media landscape in Georgia is diverse and, at the same time, highly polarized, with manipulation, hate speech, and disinformation widespread in the media, especially on television, which is the main source of information.
“the authorities often refuse to respond to media that criticise them and sometimes resort to censorship, raids, smear campaigns and intimidation. The courts sometimes try to attack the confidentiality of sources, even though it is guaranteed by the law on freedom of expression,” report says.
In the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, Ukraine's situation has improved by 18 positions, and it now occupies 61st place. Moldova is in 31st place.
The international ranking includes a total of 180 countries. Russia is in 162nd place, and Belarus is in 167th.
As for the advanced countries in the ranking, where the environment is most favorable for the media, Norway has occupied the first place for eight years in a row. It is followed by Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Finland. Germany completes the top ten ranking.
