"Media ownership concentration remained high in Croatia, France, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands and Slovakia, with many media companies owned by just a few individuals, threatening the diversity of media voices and increasing the risk of bias. In Slovakia, the populist prime minister, Robert Fico, has “cut off all communication” with four media outlets accused of “openly displaying hostile attitudes”. His government this month approved a controversial bill to overhaul the public broadcaster RTVS.

In Hungary, public service media was already “so completely under the yoke of the government” that its output was “characterised by biased and one-sided reporting that is always in line with the interests of the ruling Fidesz party”, Liberties said.