Shadows of democracy - The erosion of media freedom in Greece

As Greece celebrates today its National Independence Day, a symbol of triumph for democracy and freedom, BFMI spotlights the paradox that shadows this historic democracy: the erosion of media freedom.

Greek Independence Day serves as a symbolic reminder of the country's historical commitment to democratic values. However, the current state of media freedom in Greece casts a shadow over this legacy.  Recent findings from the International Press Institute reveal that media freedom in Greece has experienced a sustained decline in the last few years, marking a departure from the principles that once defined the birthplace of democracy. But is this decline a transient occurrence or a harbinger of a lasting trend?

According to Reporters Without Borders, for two consecutive years, Greece was ranked the worst EU country for media freedom. The country, now synonymous with blatant abuses and attacks against journalists, including the unresolved murder of crime reporter Giorgos Karaïvaz in 2021 and numerous lawsuits and legal threats against media and journalists by government officials, is making it increasingly difficult for journalists to exercise independent reporting.

 The Greek media ownership landscape is dominated by a few private entities closely linked to the political and business elite. This dynamic not only contributes to widespread distrust in the media among the Greek population, but also grants significant control over the nation's most influential media organisations to figures like media mogul Evangelos Marinakis and the Russian-Greek businessman Ivan Savvidis, who are actively involved in various other sectors of the economy like oil, shipping, and football.

In short, these private entities are not only wielding considerable power over editorial decisions within media organisations, but also ensure that coverage is aligned with their personal interests and agendas – removing any possibility for unbiased, independent reporting.   

Such centralised power also leads to a lack of transparency in the financing of these media organisations. This tight monopoly means that there’s a lack of public oversight on who, what and where is the funding coming from and for what purpose. Disclosure of this information typically occurs sporadically, usually in light of a crisis, and when it does it only reveals the links between the media and state. An example of this is the case of the investigative committee formed by the Greek Parliament in 2016 which questioned the legality of bank loans extended to political parties and media company owners.

Ultimately, these examples show that the concentration of media power in the hands of a select few not only stifles dissent and erodes press freedom, but also weakens the checks and balances necessary for a healthy democracy.

However, there’s hope that Greece’s media freedom setback is only a temporary blip. Under the new European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) - a new legislation that will regulate the media environment in the and ensure the protection of media freedom and pluralism in the EU - Greece will need to go back to upholding its democratic values, or else risk facing the consequences. While the EMFA will need to rely on member states to enforce its provision, there’s been strong references from the European Commission’s Vice President Věra Jourová that there will be penalties for states that fail to abide.

Hopefully, Greece will uphold its democratic values so we can continue to celebrate the birthplace of democracy on its Independence Day. In the meantime, BFMI will continue to monitor the situation in the country and calls upon the European Commission to prioritise urgent action to ensure that Greece lives up to its democratic legacy.