Bulgarian Parliament – – National Assembly main building, SofiaPhotographs of flags of Bulgaria in Sofia – Miroslav Nikolov
Bulgaria: Mission to examine media freedom and independent journalism

ECPMF

24 September 2025

No Comments

Between 24-25 September, the International Press Institute (IPI) will join a coalition of international media freedom and journalist organisations travelling to Bulgaria to conduct a press freedom mission on behalf of the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR).

 

The delegation will conduct a series of meetings over two days in the capital Sofia with stakeholders including the Bulgarian President; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Interior; Council of Electronic Media (CEM); Office of General Prosecutor; Commission for Personal Data Protection; Central Election Commission and representatives from embassies.

 

Representatives of the participating organisations will also meet with leading journalists and editors from a range of different media organisations in Bulgaria, as well as media associations and unions, media experts, members of civil society organisations and academics. Separate meetings are planned with the Bulgarian National Radio and the Bulgarian National Television.

 

The aim is to take the pulse of media freedom in the country, examining issues including the safety of journalists, media regulation, public broadcasting, media pluralism, defamation and SLAPPs, media ownership and the reform process required under the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).

 

A press briefing to share the initial findings of the mission and present recommendations to safeguard media freedom in Bulgaria will be held from 09.30-11.00 on 26 September at National Press Club of the Bulgarian Press Agency (49 “Tsarigradsko shose” blvd). The event is open to all media and translation services will be provided.

 

Participants include ARTICLE 19, Association of European Journalists (AEJ), European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Index on Censorship, International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT).

 

This mission is being organised with support of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

Read news by categories:

Related news

Statement

Georgia: Afgan Sadygov’s deportation represents a stark example of transnational repression, demands urgent international response

The undersigned MFRR partners, and other media freedom, journalist and freedom of expression organisations today condemn the arrest and deportation of Afgan Sadygov, founder of Azerbaijani news outlet and youtube channel Azel.tv from Georgia to Azerbaijan. Sadygov’s deportation constitutes a blatant violation of Georgia’s commitments under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and demands strong international condemnation.

READ MORE
Statement

Slovakia: Bill on media regulatory restructuring and public media layoffs a crucial test for EMFA

The undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today express alarm regarding a legislative proposal by the Slovak government currently being reviewed by the parliament that aims to significantly restructure Slovakia’s media regulatory body. If this proposal is adopted, it would concentrate broad powers in the hands of a single chairperson, which could weaken the body’s independence and violate the new European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). The developments come amidst the dismissal of the former chair of the regulator.

READ MORE
Statement

Serbian authorities must stop the spiral of violence against journalists

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) mission in Serbia reports alarming levels of violence, online attacks, and impunity against journalists, urging authorities to protect press freedom.

READ MORE
Statement

ECPMF joins Coalition against Transnational Repression in Germany

ECPMF joins a coalition to address transnational repression in Germany and strengthen protection for journalists and human rights defenders in exile.

READ MORE
Statement

Hungary: Espionage charges against investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi ahead of elections mark another dangerous step toward Orbán’s authoritarian rule

The MFRR condemns espionage charges against investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi as a grave escalation in Hungary’s crackdown on independent journalism ahead of the 12 April elections.

READ MORE
Statement

Ukrainian journalism under fire: ECPMF and Lviv Media Forum in Perugia

ECPMF and Lviv Media Forum will host a panel at the International Journalism Festival 2026 examining the safety, resilience and long-term sustainability of Ukrainian journalism in the fifth year of war.

READ MORE