Reporters without Borders: Romania placed on 47 in freedom of the press top

Romania shares with Poland, South Korea and Mauritius the 47th position in a freedom of the press top set up by Reporters without Borders whose report was published on Tuesday. Unlike 2007, when Romania was placed on 42 with a special analysis in the report, this year, it classed on 47, thus loosing 5 points since last year.

The report is set up based on 49 criteria on the freedom of the press. These cover violence involving journalists – murders, threats, imprisonments – to censorship, legislation relating to the freedom of the press or financial pressures on the media.

The 2008 reports takes into account the events between September 1, 2007 – September 1, 2008. Among top 5 position are Iceland, Luxembourg and Norway while among last are Turkmenistan (171), North Korea (172).

Europe seems to lead on continent top. First top 20 positions are taken by European countries, except Canada and New Zealand. Good results were registered in Central America while Jamaica and Costa Rica scored 21 and 22 followed by Hungary with 23.

Placed on 59, Bulgaria is a negative example due to corruption rates. Bulgaria represents the last European country in the top and proves that universal suffrage, media pluralism and constitutional guarantees are not enough to assure freedom of the press, the report reads.