Four cases of physical attacks, three of serious verbal attacks and three “unjustified dismissals” of journalists were recorded by the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ Bulgaria ) during 2017.
The annual report “State of Journalism and Freedom of Speech in Bulgaria” stresses that, despite a formal legal frame that promotes media freedom and pluralism, only owners of media critical of the government are under scrutiny and constantly under legal pressure in Bulgaria. The government manages to buy “media comfort” by distributing EU funds dedicated to communications.
Bulgaria ranks 109th out of 180 countries in the “Reporters without Borders” 2017 World Press Freedom Index, with the country expected to go further down the list in the next edition of the ranking.
Alpha Research, Bulgarian sociological agency, indicates that more than 65% of Bulgarians do not trust the media.
Download the report State of Journalism and Freedom of Speech in Bulgaria