{
  "title": "Search: funding and ownership pressure in Europe, from 2020",
  "canonical_url": "https://thewaronnews.com/search?continent=europe&tactic=funding_and_ownership_pressure&from=2020",
  "filters": {
    "continent": "europe",
    "tactic": "funding_and_ownership_pressure",
    "from": "2020"
  },
  "sort": "date",
  "count": 5,
  "page": 1,
  "pages": 1,
  "per_page": 50,
  "counts_caveat": "The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.",
  "facets": {
    "country": [
      {
        "value": "HU",
        "label": "Hungary",
        "rsf": {
          "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index",
          "year": 2026,
          "rank": 74,
          "of": 180,
          "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180",
          "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index"
        }
      },
      {
        "value": "PL",
        "label": "Poland",
        "rsf": {
          "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index",
          "year": 2026,
          "rank": 27,
          "of": 180,
          "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180",
          "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index"
        }
      },
      {
        "value": "RU",
        "label": "Russia",
        "rsf": {
          "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index",
          "year": 2026,
          "rank": 172,
          "of": 180,
          "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180",
          "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index"
        }
      },
      {
        "value": "SK",
        "label": "Slovakia",
        "rsf": {
          "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index",
          "year": 2026,
          "rank": 37,
          "of": 180,
          "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180",
          "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index"
        }
      }
    ],
    "continent": [
      {
        "value": "europe",
        "label": "Europe"
      }
    ],
    "tactic": [
      {
        "value": "funding_and_ownership_pressure",
        "label": "Funding and ownership pressure",
        "count": 5
      },
      {
        "value": "disinformation_labeling",
        "label": "Official labels",
        "count": 2
      },
      {
        "value": "outlet_licensing",
        "label": "Licensing and closure of outlets",
        "count": 1
      }
    ],
    "stage": [
      {
        "value": "pressure",
        "label": "Pressure",
        "count": 4
      },
      {
        "value": "silence",
        "label": "Silence",
        "count": 1
      }
    ],
    "level": [
      {
        "value": "national",
        "label": "National",
        "count": 5
      }
    ],
    "outcome": [
      {
        "value": "sustained",
        "label": "Sustained",
        "count": 4
      },
      {
        "value": "reversed",
        "label": "Reversed",
        "count": 1
      }
    ],
    "leader": [
      {
        "value": "mateusz-morawiecki",
        "label": "Mateusz Morawiecki"
      },
      {
        "value": "robert-fico",
        "label": "Robert Fico"
      },
      {
        "value": "viktor-orban",
        "label": "Viktor Orban"
      },
      {
        "value": "vladimir-putin",
        "label": "Vladimir Putin"
      }
    ],
    "era": [
      {
        "value": "2020s",
        "label": "2020s",
        "count": 5
      }
    ],
    "year": [
      {
        "value": "2020",
        "label": "2020",
        "count": 1
      },
      {
        "value": "2021",
        "label": "2021",
        "count": 1
      },
      {
        "value": "2023",
        "label": "2023",
        "count": 1
      },
      {
        "value": "2024",
        "label": "2024",
        "count": 1
      },
      {
        "value": "2026",
        "label": "2026",
        "count": 1
      }
    ],
    "has_case": [
      {
        "value": "0",
        "label": "without a court case",
        "count": 5
      }
    ]
  },
  "results": [
    {
      "slug": "2026-russia-new-law-targets-exiled-journalists-assets",
      "title": "Russia: law on asset freezes and service denials for exiled \"foreign agents\", August 2026",
      "occurred_on": "2026-08-04",
      "occurred_on_precision": "day",
      "country": "RU",
      "country_name": "Russia",
      "continent": "europe",
      "jurisdiction": "RU",
      "level": "national",
      "tactic_primary": "disinformation_labeling",
      "tactics": [
        "disinformation_labeling",
        "funding_and_ownership_pressure"
      ],
      "leader_slug": "vladimir-putin",
      "leader_name": "Vladimir Putin",
      "issue_of_the_day": null,
      "outcome": "sustained",
      "outcome_on": "2026-08-04",
      "outcome_note": "Signed and in force on 2026-08-04, according to RSF (s062).",
      "stage": "pressure",
      "ladder_note": null,
      "rsf": {
        "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index",
        "year": 2026,
        "rank": 172,
        "of": 180,
        "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180",
        "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index"
      },
      "era": "2020s",
      "granularity": "granular",
      "status": "in_effect",
      "case_count": 0,
      "summary": "On August 4, 2026, the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, signed a law, adopted unanimously by the Russian parliament on July 24, 2026, that allows the authorities to freeze bank accounts, block property and vehicle sales and deny consular services such as passport renewal to Russians in exile who have been designated \"foreign agents\" or who cooperate with organizations Russia has labelled \"undesirable.\" A \"foreign agent\" is a Russian legal designation that places a person or organization on a government register and subjects them to added restrictions. Of those designated, \"the vast majority are journalists,\" according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The law entered into force the same day.",
      "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2026-russia-new-law-targets-exiled-journalists-assets"
    },
    {
      "slug": "2024-slovakia-dissolves-rtvs-creates-stvr",
      "title": "Slovakia's parliament dissolves public broadcaster RTVS, replaces it with STVR",
      "occurred_on": "2024-06-20",
      "occurred_on_precision": "day",
      "country": "SK",
      "country_name": "Slovakia",
      "continent": "europe",
      "jurisdiction": "SK",
      "level": "national",
      "tactic_primary": "outlet_licensing",
      "tactics": [
        "funding_and_ownership_pressure",
        "outlet_licensing"
      ],
      "leader_slug": "robert-fico",
      "leader_name": "Robert Fico",
      "issue_of_the_day": "Fico's government accused RTVS of one-sided, activist coverage against it, a complaint it made after RTVS reporting the government considered unfavorable during Fico's return to power in late 2023.",
      "outcome": "sustained",
      "outcome_on": "2024-07-01",
      "outcome_note": "STVR replaced RTVS as planned; the ousted director-general kept only his separate parliamentary mandate.",
      "stage": "pressure",
      "ladder_note": null,
      "rsf": {
        "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index",
        "year": 2026,
        "rank": 37,
        "of": 180,
        "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180",
        "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index"
      },
      "era": "2020s",
      "granularity": "granular",
      "status": "in_effect",
      "case_count": 0,
      "summary": "Slovakia's parliament, controlled by Prime Minister Robert Fico's coalition, dissolved public broadcaster RTVS and replaced it with a new entity, STVR, whose director is now chosen through a process giving parliament and the culture ministry more direct control, prompting protests and criticism from the European Union.",
      "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2024-slovakia-dissolves-rtvs-creates-stvr"
    },
    {
      "slug": "2023-hungary-sovereignty-protection-act",
      "title": "Hungary: National Sovereignty Protection Act and Sovereignty Protection Office, December 2023",
      "occurred_on": "2023-12-20",
      "occurred_on_precision": "day",
      "country": "HU",
      "country_name": "Hungary",
      "continent": "europe",
      "jurisdiction": "HU",
      "level": "national",
      "tactic_primary": "disinformation_labeling",
      "tactics": [
        "disinformation_labeling",
        "funding_and_ownership_pressure"
      ],
      "leader_slug": "viktor-orban",
      "leader_name": "Viktor Orban",
      "issue_of_the_day": null,
      "outcome": "reversed",
      "outcome_on": "2026-06-30",
      "outcome_note": "The National Assembly abolished the Sovereignty Protection Office on 2026-06-30, according to CPJ (s055).",
      "stage": "pressure",
      "ladder_note": null,
      "rsf": {
        "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index",
        "year": 2026,
        "rank": 74,
        "of": 180,
        "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180",
        "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index"
      },
      "era": "2020s",
      "granularity": "granular",
      "status": "in_effect",
      "case_count": 0,
      "summary": "On December 20, 2023, the president of Hungary, Katalin Novák, promulgated the National Sovereignty Protection Act, passed by the National Assembly, Hungary's parliament, during the government of the prime minister, Viktor Orbán. The law created a Sovereignty Protection Office empowered to investigate organizations, including news outlets, that it determined might be influenced by foreign actors or threaten national sovereignty. A week earlier, ten Hungarian media outlets had said the law \"is capable of severely restricting the freedom of the press.\" After a change of government in 2026, the National Assembly abolished the office on June 30, 2026.",
      "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2023-hungary-sovereignty-protection-act"
    },
    {
      "slug": "2021-poland-orlen-buys-polska-press",
      "title": "Poland: state oil company Orlen buys the Polska Press newspaper group",
      "occurred_on": "2021-04-01",
      "occurred_on_precision": "month",
      "country": "PL",
      "country_name": "Poland",
      "continent": "europe",
      "jurisdiction": "PL",
      "level": "national",
      "tactic_primary": "funding_and_ownership_pressure",
      "tactics": [
        "funding_and_ownership_pressure"
      ],
      "leader_slug": "mateusz-morawiecki",
      "leader_name": "Mateusz Morawiecki",
      "issue_of_the_day": "Not stated in the sources reviewed.",
      "outcome": "sustained",
      "outcome_on": "2021-04-01",
      "outcome_note": "The acquisition closed and was not reported as reversed in the sources reviewed.",
      "stage": "silence",
      "ladder_note": "A state-controlled company bought a group of 20 regional papers reaching 17 million readers; United States funding pressure has cut money and reviewed licenses but has not transferred an outlet's ownership to the state.",
      "rsf": {
        "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index",
        "year": 2026,
        "rank": 27,
        "of": 180,
        "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180",
        "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index"
      },
      "era": "2020s",
      "granularity": "granular",
      "status": "in_effect",
      "case_count": 0,
      "summary": "Poland's state-controlled oil company PKN Orlen completed the purchase of Polska Press, a group of 20 regional newspapers reaching millions of readers, from its German owner, over objections from Poland's human rights commissioner.",
      "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2021-poland-orlen-buys-polska-press"
    },
    {
      "slug": "2020-hungary-index-hu-editor-fired",
      "title": "Hungary: editor fired and staff resign at Index.hu",
      "occurred_on": "2020-07-24",
      "occurred_on_precision": "day",
      "country": "HU",
      "country_name": "Hungary",
      "continent": "europe",
      "jurisdiction": "HU",
      "level": "national",
      "tactic_primary": "funding_and_ownership_pressure",
      "tactics": [
        "funding_and_ownership_pressure"
      ],
      "leader_slug": "viktor-orban",
      "leader_name": "Viktor Orban",
      "issue_of_the_day": "Not stated in the sources reviewed.",
      "outcome": "sustained",
      "outcome_on": "2020-07-24",
      "outcome_note": "Dull's dismissal stood and the outlet continued under its changed ownership; the sources reviewed do not report a reversal.",
      "stage": "pressure",
      "ladder_note": "An editor was fired and most of a ninety-person newsroom resigned after a government-linked businessman gained influence over the outlet's ownership; United States funding pressure has not removed an editor through an ownership change.",
      "rsf": {
        "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index",
        "year": 2026,
        "rank": 74,
        "of": 180,
        "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180",
        "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index"
      },
      "era": "2020s",
      "granularity": "granular",
      "status": "in_effect",
      "case_count": 0,
      "summary": "Index.hu, Hungary's most-read independent news site, fired editor-in-chief Szabolcs Dull weeks after he warned that a change in ownership threatened its independence. Most of the newsroom resigned within days.",
      "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2020-hungary-index-hu-editor-fired"
    }
  ],
  "other_results": [],
  "downloads": {
    "csv": "https://thewaronnews.com/search?continent=europe&tactic=funding_and_ownership_pressure&from=2020&format=csv",
    "json": "https://thewaronnews.com/search.json?continent=europe&tactic=funding_and_ownership_pressure&from=2020",
    "md": "https://thewaronnews.com/search.md?continent=europe&tactic=funding_and_ownership_pressure&from=2020"
  },
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
  }
}