After the assassinations of Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta and Jan Kuciak in Slovakia, the European Parliament is calling for more measures to protect journalists around Europe.

In a hard-hitting resolution on the protection of the free media, negotiated by MEP Roberta Metsola on behalf of the EPP Group, but supported by all political groups, the European Parliament underscored that independent journalism must be supported by the European Union in order for it to remain as the gatekeeper of democracies.

“The vile assassinations of Daphne Caruana Galizia and Jan Kuciak have shown how much work still needs to be done to safeguard journalism in Europe. We are trying to address different threats to the free media be they financial, intimidation or security threats. That’s why we have introduced the idea of EU funds to safeguard independent journalism and spoken about having anti-SLAPP legislation passed. Journalism is crucial for any democracy and we have to respond to what media houses and journalists are telling us,” said MEP Roberta Metsola.  

The resolution underlined the need for EU Anti-SLAPP legislation and essential whistleblower protection after multi-national corporations, including the disgraced Malta-based Pilatus Bank, went after Maltese media houses and whistleblowers uncovering the links between corruption and dirty money, which have been subject to massive intimidation campaigns.

“The intimidation of media or whistleblowers is never acceptable. Never. The media is a fundamental pillar of democracy and in ensuring the rule of law, we must protect it. That is why we are being so insistent on having anti-SLAPP rules in place. It is also why we are so strong in pushing for EU whistleblower protection. Those exposing the crimes, be they whistleblowers or journalists, should never be the ones targeted”, added Roberta Metsola.

Crucially the resolution again underlines the need for an EU rule of law mechanism that puts every Member State under the same level of scrutiny, something that has been pushed by MEP Roberta Metsola for some time.

“The greatest honour we can give slain journalists like Daphne Caruana Galizia and Jan Kuciak is to fight for justice and protect what they dedicated their lives to and to ensure that never again can a culture of impunity allow for the killing of journalists”, said Roberta Metsola. 

The resolution will be voted upon on Thursday at noon.