- According to the Media Pluralism Monitor 2023, Croatia has a medium risk score in three areas: Fundamental Protection (53%), Political Independence (60%), Social Inclusiveness (59%) and high risk in Market Plurality (68%). The results in the last several years have been relatively consistent across all areas.
- Between 2016 and 2021, and according to the data of the Ministry of Justice, there were 3,006 civil proceedings filed against journalists for damages and 378 filed criminal lawsuits. According to a survey conducted by the Croatian Journalists’ Association, there were at least 945 active lawsuits against media outlets, editors, and journalists in 2023 in Croatia. Based on the same survey, 910 of them are for damages for defamation, amounting to a total of at least 5.4 million euros, while the rest are criminal cases. The Ministry of Justice has identified that 79 of the total lawsuits against journalists could be characterised as SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation). According to data by The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), Croatia ranks among the top EU countries for the number of SLAPPs against various watchdogs