After the devastating European Commission report on the rule of law in the Republic of Croatia and just a few days after the publication of the 2024 Media Pluralism Monitor, the government decided to increase the salaries of the highest state officials. They explained their decision by saying, “We believe that after all these achievements, it is time to put this issue on the agenda as well.” According to the “Media Pluralism Monitor” report published by the Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedoms, Croatia, Montenegro, and Romania remain in the highest-risk group of countries regarding working conditions for journalists. The report pointed out that several issues still need to be systematically addressed in Croatia, including the abuse of process in defamation cases and SLAPP lawsuits, appointments to regulatory bodies and public media services, underdeveloped policies towards digital media, and a lack of transparency and information on media sustainability. The recommendations are to improve journalists’ working conditions by adopting legal frameworks that enable better working conditions in the sector and encourage collective bargaining. Today in Croatia, only a few collective agreements are in force in the media, primarily in public ones, with publishers persistently refusing to sit down at the negotiating table with the social partner, the union, as the workers’ representative. In the annual Rule of Law Report 2024, the European Commission expresses concern over the lack of progress in Croatia in strengthening the framework for the fair and transparent distribution of state advertising and the effective implementation of public tenders for the co- financing of local and regional media. The European Commission also does not see enough progress in addressing the problem of SLAPP lawsuits. It emphasizes the political influence on the independence of the Council for Electronic Media and Croatian Radio and Television, criticizing HRT and warning of potential conflicts of interest and irregularities revealed by the audit.
Additionally, they warn of the problem of insufficient transparency in media ownership and the distribution of state advertising. These are the severe problems that the European Commission and the respected international organization, the Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedoms, have identified. The Union of Croatian Journalists also warns that journalists earn an average of only EUR 1,043 net for their responsible and socially important work for the public good. Additionally, collective agreements are regularly renewed in only two public media outlets.
In contrast, social dialogue, the protection of labour rights, and collective agreements are almost absent in private media. This violates the fundamental human rights of media workers in the Republic of Croatia to organize trade unions and engage in collective bargaining, even though the EU requires all member states to cover 80 percent of the labour market with collective agreements. Therefore, Mr. Prime Minister, we strongly urge the Government to prioritize addressing these critical issues that directly impact the quality of democracy and citizens’ daily lives. We are keen to know when the following will be on the agenda:
– Creation of an environment for social dialogue in Croatia’s media sector, allowing workers/journalists to negotiate their labor and professional rights and initiate collective negotiations in all media and at the national level with employers in the media sector.
– Initiate legislative reforms to improve the working conditions of journalists, ensure the stability and security of working conditions, and increase editorial autonomy.
– Concrete steps to strengthen media pluralism and media freedom, including addressing issues of SLAPP lawsuits, media ownership transparency, and fair distribution of government advertising.
Establishing a legal framework for the fair and transparent distribution of state advertising according to precise criteria to support local and regional media, thus ensuring the independence and quality of media coverage.
– Design of the media law in cooperation with journalists, media experts, and organizations representing journalists to ensure that this legal text meets the needs and challenges of the modern media environment in Croatia.
Mr. Plenković, we are writing this open letter to you because we believe that “after all these achievements of state officials,” it is time to put these issues of broader social interest on the agenda.