Balkan Free Media Initiative

21/07/2025

⚠️ Press freedom under threat in Bulgaria.
A new SLAPP case highlights how a captured judiciary is being used to intimidate journalists instead of upholding justice.
Journalist Boris Mitov (now at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) and editor Stoyana Georgieva have been ordered to pay €18,000 in damages for doing their job. The case stems from Mediapool.bg reports published in 2018 about a judge seeking reappointment to a top court position.
🇪🇺 This is not just a national issue. The EU must stay alert—another Orban at the Council table would be a blow to democratic values across the Union.
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01/07/2025

On mission in Sofia: The BFMI Advisory Board met with ambassadors and officially launched the Scroll Academy - in partnership with our friends at the Out Loud Foundation. Over the next month, our team will lead workshops and mentor young people as they navigate today’s complex information landscape. A powerful start to an inspiring initiative advancing media literacy and democratic resilience in Southeast Europe.

02/11/2024

"To assess media health, look for symptoms. In our region, manipulation & compromised professionalism in news presentation reveal the media's true state," said Director at talk event hashtag
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"There is nothing new in disinformation, technology gives us a better opportunity to create it," said Dobroslav Dimitrov - member of BASSCOM's Advisory Board.