Representatives of journalists' associations on Monday welcomed the idea of adopting a European media freedom act which proposes new rules for protecting media pluralism and editorial independence, but also called for a more detailed debate and fine-tuning its provisions.

This is a regulatory instrument which would have direct impact on national legislation and be important for strengthening free journalism, European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) director Renate Schroeder told a round table at Europe House in Zagreb via video.

Many publishers, notably in Germany, see this act as a violation of media freedoms and are doing everything to boycott it, she said.

The EFJ supports the act but finds that more work is needed on provisions on the protection of journalists from surveillance, journalists’ sources, and the transparency of media ownership, she added.

Croatian Journalists’ Union and EFJ president Maja Sever underlined the importance of journalists’ organizations’ support for such an act.

Croatian Journalists’ Association president Hrvoje Zovko said he would “not be surprised if the authorities tried to bypass (its) application” once adopted.

Although a report on the rule of law in Croatia pointed to political influence on public broadcasters, the fact that Croatia is worst when it comes to strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP), and that defamation is still in the penal code, there have been no consequences, he added.

Iva Nenadic of the Zagreb Faculty of Political Science said it was important to make sure national media regulators were independent, given that this act envisages expanding their activity.

Pasko Bilic of the Zagreb Institute for Development and International Relations said any change in the media system was up to political will and called for fine-tuning regulations on disinformation and the digital media market.

Jasna Vanicek-Fila of the Culture and Media Ministry said the ministry was working on a new media law which would include “a mechanism for the early recognition and dismissal of SLAPP suits.”