Towards managing conflict of interest

Croatian conflict of interest system has numerous deficiencies that contribute to declining levels of citizens’ trust in public institutions. Media are quick to report on scandals arising from undeclared and non-managed conflict of interest, as it is embedded in an increasing number of corruption cases against persons in high politics. Croatian political elite is facing…

Defamation provisions to remain in force, but …

Zagreb, 14.06.2014 - U Hrvatskom novinarskom društvu nastavljeni su Dani hrvatskog novinarstva sa raspravom o temi "Medijsko zakonodavstvo - što treba mijenjati?". Na slici potpredsjednica Hrvatskog novinarskog društva i novinarka Jutarnjeg lista Slavica Lukiæ, predsjednik Hrvatskog novinarskog društva Zdenko Duka i Ana Kordej iz Ministarstva pravosuða. foto FaH/ Damir SENÈAR /ds

Under draft amendments to the Penal Code defined by the Justice Ministry, the Penal Code will retain provisions on the criminal act of defamation but only the most serious cases of defamation, to be called grave defamation, will be penalised, the head of the Criminal Law Department of the Justice Ministry, Ana Kordej, said on…

Hands off the media!

Without free, independent, and pluralistic media citizens are deprived of the possibility to keep power accountable. Corruption and maladimistration prosper, personal business and political interest replace the common good of all, minorities face increasing marginalisation. The deterioration of media pluralism and media freedom in Europe is above all a threat to democracy. You can sign…

Stop Targeting Civil Society in Hungary!

epa03642358 A Chinese technician debugs a row of video surveillance cameras for pubilc safety which are assembled on a pole in the Qingdao city, eastern China's Shandong province, 27 March 2013. China's public safety budget reaches at 128.989 billion yuan (Euros 16.227 billion) in 2013, up some nine per cent compared to last year, according to the Ministry of Finance. EPA/WU HONG

Since its re-election, the Hungarian government launched a campaign attacking the credibility of Hungarian NGOs and is striving to gain control over their funding distributed independently from the government. We believe that a dynamic and independent civil society plays a fundamental role in a democratic society, as it is one of the key checks and…