Greece, Cyprus and Hungary Rank as EU's Worst for Press Freedoms
Greece, Cyprus and Hungary are the worst offenders on press freedoms in the European Union, according to a new analysis published Thursday by Euobserver. The three member states rank below several African nations and Qatar in global press freedom comparisons, raising questions about democratic standards within the bloc.
"Sierra Leone, Senegal, Zambia and Qatar have better press freedoms when compared to both Greece and Cyprus," the report stated, citing international press freedom indexes. The finding places two EU members behind countries that face significant governance challenges, underscoring the depth of media freedom problems in parts of the union.
Regional Rankings and Comparisons
The Euobserver analysis identified Greece, Cyprus and Hungary as the lowest-ranking EU states across multiple press freedom metrics. Hungary has faced sustained criticism from Brussels and international watchdog groups over media concentration under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose government tightened control over public broadcasters and pressured independent outlets.
Greece and Cyprus, both Mediterranean EU members, have seen declining press freedom scores in recent years. Journalists in Greece have reported increased legal harassment and physical intimidation, while Cyprus has struggled with media ownership concentration and political interference in newsrooms.
Broader EU Context
The rankings place the three countries well below the EU average on press freedom indicators. By contrast, Nordic member states such as Finland, Denmark and Sweden consistently rank among the world's top nations for media independence and journalist protections.
The European Commission has launched infringement procedures against Hungary over media laws, though enforcement has been slow. For Greece and Cyprus, no formal EU action is currently underway, despite the deteriorating conditions reported by press freedom organizations.
The findings come as Hungary faces a broader reckoning with its Orban-era legacy. A separate report published Thursday by France 24 examined the reforms needed to dismantle media controls and restore independent journalism in the country, should political leadership change.
Press freedom advocates have called on EU institutions to take stronger action, including linking rule-of-law funding to tangible improvements in media independence across all member states.