While I was in Ankara for the workshop and media conferences organised by the Journalists’ Association, I also had the opportunity to attend the annual meeting of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), which was part of the same programme.
My first participation in the EFJ meeting, guided by Ali Kurtoğlu, helped me to appreciate the benefits of Press Workers’ Union (Basın-Sen) being part of an international organisation.
Cyprus featured on the agenda of the EFJ annual meeting in two motions. In particular, the government of the Republic of Cyprus—which had previously been taken to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over human rights violations against Turkish Cypriots—was once again brought before the European Federation of Journalists on the grounds that it had restricted freedom of expression in two separate instances.
The TRNC administration, which has dealt a blow to freedom of expression through legislation restricting citizens’ right to access information, also featured on the agenda in Ankara on the grounds that it was exerting economic and legal pressure on oppositional newspapers.
A motion prepared by the French National Union of Journalists under the title “Defending Regional and Local Press and Combating ‘News Deserts’ in Europe” also contained references to Cyprus. “The Phileleftheros Group has reduced its field staff in Limassol, Pafos and Larnaca, shifting operations from local bureaux to its central newsroom in Nicosia. Simultaneously, in the northern part of the island, economic and judicial pressures are targeting critical titles such as the dailies Avrupa and Yeni Düzen, threatening to eradicate all pluralism.” During the debate on the motion, it was alleged that Phileleftheros had carried out this operation to silence opponents in the interests of Christodoulides, and that the downsizing was merely a pretext for this.
During the meeting, concerns were raised regarding the unilateral actions of the Christodoulides administration aimed at reducing the level of recognition accorded to the press card issued by the Union of Cyprus Journalists and at imposing a government-controlled accreditation system through the Press and Information Office (PIO) within the framework of the EU Cyprus Presidency.
In summary, the motion tabled by the Union of Cyprus Journalists states that Christodoulides is pushing forward a process whereby the state would define the term ‘journalist’ and issue press cards at its own discretion.
As for the question of what happens once these motions are approved, the EFJ leadership is monitoring the process. Specifically, as with all motions approved at the annual meeting, efforts are being made to address the concerns raised in the motions relating to Cyprus by working with administrative bodies and EU institutions to resolve the issues in question.
For example, regarding the situation in Cyprus, the EFJ management will follow up by lodging a formal complaint with the European Board of Media Services (EBMS), the European Commission and the Council of Europe (via the Platform for the Protection of Journalism). In this context, the aforementioned organisations will also convey their concerns to the Republic of Cyprus, and Turkey, regarding developments in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; this way, they will monitor the resolution of the issue.
The London-based Ethical Journalism Network (EJN), which brings together media professionals from around the world, has initiated a project which also covers Cyprus.
Aidan White, founder of the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN), which promotes the principles of accuracy, independence and accountability in the media, met with representatives of journalists’ organisations from Turkey, Greece and both sides of Cyprus to share his views. This initiative, which has been well received, will see a committee established to advance the process and carry out ethical initiatives covering the Cyprus-Turkey-Greece triangle.
Alongside the difficulties regarding freedom of expression in Cyprus, I view this meeting held in Ankara as a positive development. I also regard this development as an opportunity to act together to safeguard freedom of expression on our island.
Beside the concerns raised by European journalists, the reality that administrations restricting freedom of expression exist on both sides of the island—a reality we have witnessed first-hand—is a bitter truth that hits us squarely in the face. In this regard, whilst we must intensify our struggle internally, we must also strive to lay the groundwork for a joint struggle by journalists’ organisations on both sides.
