On 23 May, Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department of the Council of Europe, met with representatives of the journalistic community and civil society organisations from Banja Luka (Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina). Representatives travelled to Vienna, Brussels and Strasbourg for meetings with high-ranking officials to discuss the adoption of laws currently undergoing public consultations, including the proposed re-criminalisation of defamation and the law on “foreign agent NGOs”.

The Council of Europe officials presented the work on strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) and the development of the upcoming Council of Europe Campaign for the Safety of Journalists, which aims to raise awareness, stimulate effective tackling of pressing issues, and ultimately increase the safety of journalists and other media actors in all situations.