BRATISLAVA, October 20, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovakia has not found itself on top positions in this year’s world press freedom chart but the 35th spot it occupies is an improvement from last year when it ranked 44th in the era of Robert Fico, whose term ended in July of this year. The Paris-based international press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders published its annual „Press Freedom Index“ this week, after surveying the media in over 160 countries throughout the world. Slovakia jumped by nine positions this year, sharing the 35th place with Surinam. Reporters without Borders wrote that Slovakia is just emerging from former Prime Minister Robert Fico’s tumultuous era. However, Slovakia’s partners in the Visegrad Group fared better, when Hungary and the Czech Republic share the 23rd position and Poland placed 32nd. However, in the 2007 press freedom barometer Slovakia ranked third.
Reporters Without Borders has repeatedly expressed its concern about the deteriorating press freedom situation in the European Union and the 2010 index confirms this trend. Thirteen of the EU’s 27 members are in the top 20 but some of the other 14 are very low in the ranking. Italy is 49th, Romania is 52nd and Greece and Bulgaria are tied at 70th. The European Union is not a homogenous whole as regards media freedom. To the contrary, the gap between good and bad performers continues to widen.
Northern Europe is still at the top. Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland share first place in the index. They have all previously held this honor since the index was created in 2002. Norway and Iceland have always been among the countries sharing first position except in 2006 (Norway) and 2009 (Iceland). These six countries set an example in the way they respect journalists and news media and protect them from judicial abuse.
SITA
