Brussels (AFP)

The European Commission presented Thursday a series of recommendations to improve the protection of journalists, particularly during demonstrations but also online, worrying about an increase in attacks against the media in recent years in the European Union.

"Today we call on member states to act decisively to make the EU a safer place for journalists," said Commission Vice-President Vera Jourova, recalling the 2017 assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and in 2018 Slovakian Jan Kuciak.

She said that "more than 900 journalists and media workers" were victims of attacks in the EU in 2020: physical attacks, insults, online harassment, destruction of equipment.

Member states are called on to pay particular attention to the protection of women journalists, "73% of whom said they had experienced online violence in their work," Vera Jourova recalled.

She judged "particularly unacceptable verbal violence or via tweets from political leaders."

An allusion in particular to the Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who does not hesitate to insult journalists on social networks and whose country currently holds the presidency of the EU.

The president of the European executive, Ursula von der Leyen, had called it to order on press freedom on the occasion of the start of this presidency in July.

But "it's not just Slovenia," said Vera Jourova.

"We are seeing very aggressive rhetoric in other countries."

Regarding non-legally binding measures for member states, she recognized the risk that "this recommendation will be taken more seriously in countries where there are fewer problems".

In its annual report on the rule of law in the EU presented in July, the Commission is concerned about political pressures and threats to media independence in the Czech Republic, Malta, Slovenia, Poland, Bulgaria and in Hungary.

The Twenty-Seven are also called upon to improve the safety of reporters covering the protests.

Almost one in three incidents targeting journalists occurs on these occasions, recalled the Czech official.

The Commission calls on member states to "provide regular training to law enforcement agencies", and advocates "the development of effective and appropriate methods of identifying journalists" at these events.

The Commission also urges the Twenty-Seven in particular to support the establishment of services offering legal, psychological and accommodation solutions for journalists under threat.

The European executive is also preparing a law to protect the independence of the media, as well as a text intended to protect journalists from abusive legal proceedings ("gag order").

Reporters Without Borders called the recommendations of the recommendation presented on Thursday "a step in the right direction" and called on heads of state and government to do everything possible "so that they do not remain a dead letter".

© 2021 AFP