The parliamentary opposition warned on Tuesday that the law implementing the European Media Freedom Act fails to address key issues such as pressure on editors and journalists and non-transparent advertising, while the ruling majority argues that the law will ensure the independence of public service media and transparency of ownership.
“Our caucus concludes that the final proposal meets only the bare minimum, just enough to claim alignment with EU legislation, while missing the opportunity to create a high-quality framework that would genuinely advance media independence and pluralism in Croatia,” said SDP MP Mirela Ahmetović during the debate in the Croatian Parliament.
Ahmetović added that key criticisms raised during the public consultation and first reading were ignored, including concerns about political and economic pressure on the media, insecure working conditions, SLAPP lawsuits, and non-transparent advertising by state-owned companies.
She also warned that Croatia has dropped from 48th to 60th place in media freedom rankings over the past two years.
MP Urša Raukar Gamulin of the Možemo party highlighted the lack of a serious analysis of the actual state of the Croatian media landscape.
“The law does not ensure real protection of editorial independence, does not foresee sanctions for political or economic pressure on editors and journalists. Likewise, it does not provide sufficient protection for journalists and their sources, nor does it introduce effective legal remedies. At a time when journalists are exposed to malicious lawsuits aimed at intimidation, laws must serve as a shield, not merely as a formality,” she stressed.
Most MP Marin Miletić pointed to the issue of media ownership concentration and state advertising as a tool of control.
“Take the daily press and look at how much HEP spends on advertising. Why would a monopoly electricity provider need to advertise? Media depend on that advertising, and when a new scandal emerges, it goes unreported. That’s called self-censorship,” Miletić said.
IDS MP Dalibor Paus identified the appointment model for the Council for Electronic Media as problematic, arguing that politics currently dominates the process.
“Members of the Council are proposed by the Government and appointed by Parliament, i.e. the parliamentary majority. If one political option can appoint the leadership, then political influence over the Council is too strong,” Paus said.
He therefore called for a more democratic selection process, where some members would be nominated by the profession, and others by civil society or academia.
MP Igor Peternel noted that the DOMINO and Croatian Sovereignists caucus does not oppose European standards, but rather the poor and potentially dangerous way the government is transposing the regulation.
“This law grants the Agency for Electronic Media oversight powers over finances, ownership structures, and the imposition of sanctions. But where are the safeguards against abuse of these powers? Where is it defined when the regulator crosses the line into editorial autonomy? In a democracy, boundaries matter and must be clearly defined,” he said.
HDZ MP Anđelka Salopek argued that significant progress has already been made in media legislation and that this law continues that trajectory.
“The key objectives are the independence of public service media and transparency of media ownership. Citizens have the right to know who stands behind certain media outlets. This reduces space for hidden interests, and the law ensures mechanisms to make this information available to everyone,” she said.
The proposal will also be supported by coalition partners from the Homeland Movement. “Are media in Croatia truly independent, who finances them, and under what conditions? This regulation, as well as the implementing law, seeks to provide institutional answers to these questions,” said MP Tomislav Josić.
GLAS MP Anka Mrak Taritaš addressed the issue of journalist safety, referring to gatherings near the family home of journalist Boris Dežulović.
“We have a group whose gatherings should be banned if the Ministry of the Interior were applying the Public Assembly Act. This group of fringe individuals poisons society every weekend by gathering in front of someone’s home,” she said.