The Union of Croatian Journalists (SNH) sent an open letter to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Friday after the government decided to increase the salaries of top state officials. In the letter, it calls on him to consider improving the status of journalists and media employees in Croatia.

Journalists in Croatia earn an average of €1,043 net per month, and collective agreements are only regularly renewed in two public media outlets, while there is almost no social dialogue, no protection of workers’ rights and no collective agreements in the private media, the letter states.

The union believes that the government should prioritise the establishment of social dialogue in the media sector, the reform of legislation to improve journalists’ working conditions, the promotion of pluralism and media freedom, including the issue of SLAPP lawsuits, transparency of media ownership and the fair allocation of state advertising to support local and regional media.

Media Pluralism Monitor pointed out a number of problems in the Croatian media sector

Priority should also be given to the Media Act, which should be drafted in cooperation with journalists, media professionals and organisations representing journalists in order to meet the needs and challenges of today’s media environment in Croatia, SNH said.

SNH pointed out that the decision to increase salaries for state officials was taken a day after the publication of the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report on Croatia and a few days after the publication of the Media Pluralism Monitor for 2024, which drew attention to a number of problems in the Croatian media sector, including political interference in the independence of the Electronic Media Council and the public broadcaster HRT.

SNH said that these issues are of general interest to society and should be put on the government’s agenda.