RSF: Defamation Law Puts At Risk Media Freedom in Bulgaria

The watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has slammed plans by Bulgaria's ruling party to introduce tougher legislation protecting against defamation, fearing an attack on media freedon.

"We call on members of parliament of the majority not to modify the existing legislation relating to defamation "Reporters Without Borders said in a statement.

"A possible toughening of the sanctions in respect of defamation could only constitute a major step backwards as far as press freedom in Bulgaria is concerned. We are keeping a close eye on the developments in this key area."

According to the press freedom body the decriminalization of press offences should be absolutely encouraged, especially in member states of the European Union, which should necessarily set an example.

The media freedom body also condemns the huge increase in phone intercepts in Bulgaria.

The Sofia prosecution service says that requests for telephone taps has almost doubled in the space of a year, from 1,459 in 2009 to 2,214 in 2010. In major cities such as Plovdiv in the south or Shumen in the northeast the increases have been respectively 500 % and 67 %.

In early January Prime Minister Boyko Borisov acknowledged that the phones of senior government officials were periodically tapped as part of the campaign against corruption. He justified the practice in the name of transparency. In this context Kalin Georgiev, the head of the Bulgarian police saw fit to say that he did not see any problem in listening into journalists' calls.

"We are amazed by the statements and attitudes of Mr. Georgiev, which demonstrate how little progress has been made by the Bulgarian police in this field since 2008," Reporters Without Borders said.

"We remind the head of the police that under the law phone tapping can only be carried out as a last resort and in the context of serious crimes or attacks on national security. The agreement of the prosecuting authorities remains essential."

The press freedom body added that it feared that routine phone tapping, as had happened in the past, could extend to journalists and restrict the right to confidentiality of discussions.

"The freedom given to the police services in the matter is as unacceptable as it is worrying," Reporters Without Borders said.

The statement called on the interior minister to impose the necessary sanctions or run the risk of encouraging a dangerous laxity among all the services.

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