Journalists Matter, Council of Europe Campaign for the Safety of Journalists
The Council of Europe encourages member states to transpose the Campaign to the national context. Without each member’s committed and effective effort at national level, through the development of the so-called ‘national chapter’, the Campaign cannot reach its goals.
In this section, we will present developments in Croatia:
National Focal Points
Ms Jasna VANICEK-FILA, Member of the independent regulator of the Electronic Media Council of Croatia
National Campaign Committee
The National Coordination Committee for the Implementation of Measures of the Action Plan for the Development of Culture and Media of Croatia, established in March 2024 integrates the Journalists Matter Campaign along with the OSCE one.
The National Coordination Committee comprises approximately 40 stakeholders, including key experts, journalists, editors-in-chief, media publishers, representatives of professional associations, non-profit media entities, public broadcasters, academic experts from various faculties, representatives from relevant government ministries, and legal experts. The committee aims to generate specific proposals for the implementation of measures outlined in the national campaign to enhance journalist safety.
Moving forward, committee members are urged to continue collaborative efforts in implementing the National Action Plan for the media sector and spearheading initiatives to enhance journalist safety and safeguard the rights of media workers.
The Committee has started working on several topics such as: combating SLAPP lawsuits, legal frameworks for the protection of copyright for journalists and photojournalists, establishing a system for public disclosure of media ownership data and sources of funding. Another topic addressed by the Committee was the fight against disinformation.
The National and Action Plan for the Development of Culture and Media represents a significant milestone in Croatia's strategic planning for the cultural and media sectors. Adopted by the Government of the Republic of Croatia at the end of December 2023, this comprehensive document outlines the strategic direction and objectives for the period from 2023 to 2027. Covering the entire spectrum of the culture and media landscape, the National Plan serves as a medium-term framework, encompassing development requirements, goals, indicators, financial considerations, and mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation. Embedded within this overarching framework is the Action Plan, which delineates specific measures and outcome indicators, with a particular focus on the media sector. In the realm of media, the plan articulates objectives aimed at enhancing the status of the journalistic profession, fostering a conducive environment for media pluralism, and providing effective support for the culture and media sector. Notably, this plan marks a significant departure from past approaches, representing the first umbrella strategic document for the media sector in Croatia since the adoption of the Strategy for Cultural Development in 2003, which regrettably was not systematically implemented.
2025 update
Croatia continued strengthening the implementation of existing mechanisms for the protection of journalists through regular monitoring and inter-institutional cooperation. According to data collected by the Ministry of the Interior, 23 criminal offences against journalists were recorded in 2025, including threats, coercion, unauthorised use of personal data, intrusive behaviour and property damage. Monitoring data are regularly shared with journalists’ associations and discussed within the National Coordination Committee, contributing to the continuous assessment of journalists’ safety in the country.
Croatia also advanced implementation of European and Council of Europe standards on countering Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). A draft Law on the Protection of Persons Engaged in Public Participation was prepared by a multi-stakeholder working group and is expected to transpose the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive while extending protection to both domestic and cross-border cases. Monitoring conducted by the Ministry of Justice indicates a continued decrease in potential SLAPP cases, from 39 in 2023 to 25 in 2024 and 20 in 2025.
In addition, Croatia strengthened media transparency through the launch of the Media Ownership and Financing Platform, providing public access to information on media ownership structures and sources of media funding. The Government also adopted the Action Plan for the Development of Culture and Media until 2027, which includes measures relating to journalists’ safety, media pluralism, anti-SLAPP safeguards and support for quality journalism.
Croatia, National chapter
