We must also note that of the six journalists murdered in EU countries over the last decade – Lyra McKee (Ireland), Daphne Caruana Galizia (Malta), Giorgos Karaivaz (Greece), Sokratis Giolias (Greece), Jan Kuciak (Slovakia), and Peter R. de Vries (Netherlands) – not one of them has received justice at the time of writing.

On another remark, in the RSF report, Greece is described as the worst performing country in press freedom issues for a third consecutive year. EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said nothing about this at the official launch of her EU campaign in Athens. Instead, she praised the Greek prime minister.

Another issue is the right to information, particularly crucial in the context of upcoming EU elections and numerous local and national votes due this year. But again, the EU is not leading by example.

If I contact a drug lord, oligarch, or corrupt official for comment, I do not necessarily expect a reply. But when I contact the European Commission, I do.

Over the years, I have had a number of my questions ignored by various EU institutions, directorate generals, or spokespeople. When they do reply, they do so selectively, issuing blanket statements that do not adequately address the questions.

They choose what topics they want to discuss, and we often publish their statements ad verbatim, rarely taking the time to pick them apart or even fact-check them. Meanwhile, multiple instances of a lack of transparency come and go and little seems to change.

It has reached the point where journalists dealing with EU institutions – who should be the prime upholders of democratic standards – have simply stopped asking the tough questions because we know we won’t get a straight answer.

The EU is not a beacon of truth: Its officials are politicians and diplomats after all, and whether they sit in Berlaymont, Berlin, or Bucharest, they are accountable to citizens who pay their salaries.

Journalism under threat

Journalism is under threat from foreign malign influence, AI, politics, big business, crime, terrorism, the underworld, and even the ‘good guys’ in Brussels.

As journalists, we need to step up our game, demand answers to tough questions, and not act as PR for EU institutions. And we need support from our bosses and owners, too.

It’s well and good to point fingers at Orban and Meloni, but if we continue letting our own standards slip, the state of our democracy will keep backsliding.