WE SURVIVED UNDER ANASTASIADES, BUT WE MAY BE DAMNED UNDER CHRISTODOULIDES

There’s a global index you’ll never hear the President, any government official, or their mouthpieces boast about or even mention. This particular index doesn’t concern growth, the economy, investments, or any other measurement of the illusory prosperity we’re experiencing within Nikos Christodoulides’ Matrix.

Cyprus has tumbled from 65th to 77th place in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by the International non-governmental organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd.

RSF writes that “the government, the Orthodox Church and business interests have significant influence over the media in Cyprus”, citing them as factors that “have undermined media pluralism and have pushed journalists towards self-censorship”. 

The organisation said that “informal relationships between politicians and media owners reinforce direct interference in editorial work” and expressed concern about the “growing media concentration and lack of transparency in print and digital media ownership.”

Regarding the legislative framework for protecting media freedom, RSF found that “mechanisms or procedures to protect journalists and prevent political interference are limited.”

These chronic ailments of Cypriot journalism stem partly from the pathologies of such a small place where everyone knows each other, and a media outlet or journalist’s influence can be compromised with a single invocation to the devil [Editor’s note: It refers to a threat made by former President Anastasiades in 2020 against journalist Stella Michael who asked him about his role in the golden passports scandal. Anastasiades responded, “Don’t mention Al Jazeera to me. Damn you.”] 

However, the primary reason for Cyprus’s dramatic fall in rankings is the monstrous draft bill the government tried to surreptitiously pass last year, which provides for everything from surveillance of journalists and disclosure of their sources to potential criminal prosecution at the Attorney General’s discretion—ostensibly for reasons of national security or interest.

If approved, the bill would allow officials, including “the head of the intelligence services, the Chief of Police, and any other investigator or authorised official,” to request a court order from the Attorney General compelling journalists to reveal their sources. The bill also authorises the Attorney General to seek a court order enabling surveillance, including the use of spyware, against journalists, their colleagues, and close contacts to identify their sources.

This means anyone the Attorney General deems to have spread “fake news” could face imprisonment. The Police Chief, the intelligence service director, or any other authorised person would be able to monitor journalists’ devices to identify their sources. Consider this for a moment: the same Police and Legal Service we know all too well would now have free rein to judge whether a journalist is spreading false news or poses a threat to national interests. The journalist—not state impunity, corruption, or compromised institutions—becomes the threat.

The bill clearly has a dual purpose: intimidating journalists with threats of privacy violations and imprisonment while deterring potential whistleblowers from becoming journalistic sources for exposing scandals. This represents the most insidious method of fascistisation of society, complete with legislative approval under the guise of protecting national interests (which, unsurprisingly, again supersedes basic human rights).

The controversial provisions are supposedly included in legislation being prepared by the Ministry of Interior as part of EU member states’ obligation to implement the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) regulation, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on April 17, 2024, which came into force on May 7 and is scheduled for full implementation by August 8, 2025. 

However, those directly concerned warn that the bill moves in the opposite direction. For example, Cyprus Editors’ Union president George Frangos referred to a “supposed harmonisation bill for the protection of journalists and their sources that distorts the meaning, spirit, and letter of the European Regulation, while no public consultation took place.” “They sent it to us and told us they wanted written opinions within 15 days, and they consider that public dialogue,” he pointedly remarked. They apparently mean “protection” in the underworld sense: “protecting” journalists from what might happen if they don’t comply.

The Christodoulides government is among the worst regarding its treatment of journalists. It fundamentally despises those who don’t offer complete subservience, especially the President, who has a history of deploying online trolls against “hostile” media and journalists. They want only praise, adulation, flattery, applause, and friendly pats on the back. Criticism, exposure of scandals, corruption, or state/government incompetence are considered hostile acts, and this shameful bill is a first-rate tool for neutralising troublesome press workers. Indeed, while last year they insisted they were simply implementing European regulations, Phileleftheros revealed minutes of EU institutional discussions showing Cyprus was one of seven member states supporting France’s abusive provision for surveillance of journalists through spyware based on suspicion of national security threats without safeguards (a provision later abandoned). This demonstrates how much they detest press freedom.

We want to believe this monstrosity won’t pass through Parliament. Otherwise, the morning we wake up in an authoritarian dystopia with imprisoned or intimidated journalists may not be far away…

This article was first published on 02.05.2025

Source: WE SURVIVED UNDER ANASTASIADES, BUT THE DEVIL MAY TAKE US UNDER CHRISTODOULIDES