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Europe’s newest pest

Alaksandr Lukaszenka na muralu w Gdansku

Mural depicting Alaksandr Lukashenko in Gdansk, Poland, 19.08.2020. Source: Lukasz Dejnarowicz / FORUM

Lukashenko is no longer in the business of engaging in politics or diplomacy. His actions are all about revenge, destruction and diversion, using violent tactics to target Belorussians themselves and his nation’s European neighbors.

VSquare

09.09.2021

Katowice,,Silesia,,Poland,10,August,2021,Protests,In,Defense,Of

Protests against the ”Lex TVN” act. 10 August 2021, Katowice, Poland. Source: TomaszKudala / Shutterstock.com

In August 2021, Poland enacted a controversial media law. This so-called “Lex TVN” — which targets one specific private TV channel — is one more blow in the ruling party’s assault on the free press.

Wojciech Cieśla

26.08.2021

European union flag against parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Source: artjazz / Shutterstock.com

For two years Political Capital, a Hungarian think tank, conducted with partners a research project on authoritarian influence in the European Union, and particularly in the European Parliament.

VSquare

01.09.2021

A demonstrator wears a face mask during a protest for media freedom after the editor-in-chief of Index, Hungary's leading independent news website was fired, in Budapest, Hungary, July 24, 2020.Source: Bernadett Szabo / Reuters / Forum

One year after the pro-governmental takeover of the top Hungarian news site, Index.hu, its former staff members are thriving.

VSquare

23.07.2021

Warsaw,,Poland,-,July,10,,2021:,View,On,Tvn,And

View on TVN and Discovery television headquarters at Warsaw, Poland, July 10, 2021. Source: Autor: MOZCO Mateusz Szymanski / Shutterstock.com

If the government puts a gag order on a broadcaster simply because it finds its reporting unfavourable, the same fate will await the rest of the free media in Poland.

VSquare

29.07.2021