9 Amendments of Theodoros ZAGORAKIS related to 2021/2036(INI)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines that an independent, impartial, professional and responsible media is a key pillar of democracy; expresses serious concerns about the situation in some Member States whereby media laws allow for greater political interference; Call on the Member States to ensure that media ownership including shareholders is transparent given their role to guarantee media pluralism;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is concerned that the current COVID-19 pandemic not only continues to have a significant negative impact on public health, social welfare and the economy, but also entails a serious threat to media freedom; warns that governments across the world could use the coronavirus emergency as an excuse to implement draconian new restrictions on freedom of expression and tighten media censorship; stresses that no EU funds should be allocated to media that is controlled by Member States government ; calls on the Commission to mobilise funds to encourage anti-corruption investigative journalism;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to propose a directive against strategic lawsuits to set minimum standards for all Member States against public participation (SLAPPs) in order to protect independent media and journalists from vexatious lawsuits intended to silence or intimidate them; to provide EU harmonized rules recognising and defining SLAPPs to identify abusive lawsuits and have them dismissed at an early stage; to support at EU level trainings for press publishers’ in-house lawyers to allow them to identify and deal with SLAPPs faced by the company and its editorial team, stresses the need to create an EU fund to support victims of SLAPP; Supports the creation of networks between SLAPP victims so they can coordinate and come together;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Member States to guarantee that the public service media isare free from censorship and political influence including economic pressures; invites the Member States, in this regard, to establish the necessary regulatory frameworks to monitor media ownership and ensure full transparency;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Encourages the Member States to introduce effective measures to ensure better protection for the personal safety of journalists, in particular investigative journalists. Calls on the Member States to adopt preventive measures, such as police protection and availability of schemes providing relocation, safe houses or shelters whenever there is a threat to journalists; emphasises that ensuring the safety of journalists is paramount to ensuring that democracy and freedom of expression is protected;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Encourages the Member States to introduce effective measures to ensure better protection for the personal safety of journalists, in particular investigative journalists.; calls on the Commission and the Member States to present legislative and non-legislative proposals to protect journalist resources;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Supports essential training for journalists from minority groups so that they are not silenced; Stresses that various cultures should be visible in the mainstream media of Member States;
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Calls on the Member States and media organisations to support and develop incentive measures, for the equal representation of women and men in the profession at all levels;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7 c. Stresses the need of the regulation of the journalistic profession, by setting specific criteria in all Member States for a person in order to acquire the status of a journalist;