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It Is the Enemy from Within Which Must Concern Us Most
Moldova was again recently in the headlines, when French President Emmanuel Macron met President of Moldova Maia Sandu to iron out the final details of what is expected to be a Chisinau-Paris defense pact, alongside an economic roadmap for cooperation between the two nations. Most important however, was the not-so-subtle hint from the French President to…
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Across the EU, a free and independent media is withering
When there is an urgency, the EU has shown that it can act. It did so when it banned major Kremlin propaganda outlets and prevented their disinformation from further poisoning the European information space. It was a show of strength and a message about the importance of a free media ecosystem. Now the EU must…
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Reviving News Media in an Embattled Europe
Introduction For over a decade, a series of crises have undermined the media’s ability to support democracy. Traditional business models have collapsed with the rise of the internet and social media platforms. Hyperpartisan news sites and disinformation have damaged readers’ trust in online content. At the same time, illiberal leaders in several democracies have developed…
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Rule of law declining across EU, report warns
Civil liberties network says in states where far-right parties influence power, rule-of-law deterioration risks becoming systemic Arrests and prosecutions of non-violent protesters, such as Greta Thunberg in Sweden, are common and increasing. Photograph: Fredrik Sandberg/EPA The rule of law is declining across the EU as governments continue to weaken legal and democratic checks and balances, a…
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Moldova’s EU Aspirations: A Road Fraught with Democratic Challenges
Moldova’s journey towards European ascension has reached a pivotal moment in Eastern Europe’s political landscape, revealing deep-seated issues in its democratic processes.
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Kyrgyzstan: Veto Law to Curb Civil Society
Reject ‘Foreign Representatives’ Bill; Uphold International Rights Commitments Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov should support Kyrgyzstan’s nongovernmental sector and withdraw the abusive “foreign representatives” draft law aimed at silencing the country’s vibrant and vocal civil society, Human Rights Watch said today. The draft law passed its third parliamentary reading on March 14, 2024, and the president has a month to…
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Standing up for journalism as a public good
It is a truism to say democracy relies on a free press. But in a sea of misinformation that is because it’s a fact. Europe’s information ecosystem is at a crossroads. Misinformation and filter bubbles, oligarchic media capture and attacks on public-service media, indeed unprecedented attacks on journalists amid their subjection to precarious working conditions—all are leading…
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Human Rights Court To Rule On Banned Shor Party
In a blow to the pro-EU government of Moldovan President Maia Sandu, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has decided to hear arguments in a legal case brought by representatives of the banned opposition SHOR Party. The move comes as Moldova is struggling to deal with the continued fallout of Russia’s invasion of neighbouring…