RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

Freedom House published Freedom in the World report

Romania is included in the list of free countries in the traditional Freedom House report.

Freedom House published Freedom in the World report
Freedom House published Freedom in the World report

, 06.02.2019, 13:47

Freedom in the world saw a decline in 2018 for the 13th
consecutive year, warns the well-known Freedom House organisation in its latest
report. A research institute based in Washington, founded in 1941, financed by
the US government and whose main goal is to promote liberal democracy around
the world, Freedom House monitors and assesses on an annual basis the state of
essential liberties in 193 different countries and 15 territories across the
globe. The decline in freedom has spanned all regions of the world, from long-standing
democracies like the United States to consolidated authoritarian regimes like China
and Russia. The Freedom House experts say the decline is not as big compared
with the period at end of the 20th century prior to the collapse of
the communist dictatorships in Europe and of the right-wing dictatorships in
Latin America, but the tendency is significant and generates risks.




The Scandinavian democracies continue to top the Freedom House
chart. Finland, Norway and Sweden have a maximum of 100 points, a score
indicating a political system with the highest degree of freedom. Although they
do not have the maximum score, the list of free countries predictably includes
traditional pillars of post-war democracy like the United States, Canada,
France, the UK, Germany and Italy. The list of partly free countries includes
Serbia and the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova
(with a majority Romanian-speaking population). A worrying fact is that this
list also features Hungary, a country that is a member of the European Union
and NATO, and where Freedom House has identified one of the biggest declines in
freedom under Viktor Orban’s right-wing nationalist regime. Many countries are
not considered free, including essential geopolitical actors such as Russia,
China and Saudi Arabia. As far as Romania is concerned, it lies in the green
area of the map drawn up by Freedom House, being considered a free country from
the point of view of political and civic rights.




The Romanian democracy has 81 points out of 100. Commentators have
noted that the American experts from Freedom House thus rank Romania better
than Romanians themselves do. In the never-ending political conflict in
Bucharest, the majority formed by the leftist Social Democratic Party and the
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats keep denouncing what they call the parallel
state, which allegedly contains media conglomerates, special services, prosecutors
and judges that deliver prison sentences on order to politicians who are not to
their liking and thus ruining their careers. In response, the right-wing
opposition, the media and civil society accuse the government of seeking to
place magistrates under political control, hindering the fight against
corruption and transforming the Gendermerie into a kind of Praetorian Guard
employed to stifle, only too eagerly, anti-governmental protests.

Signing of the protocol (foto:
Today in the News Friday, 22 November 2024

Transition program towards F-35, launched

The Romanian Air Force’s transition program to 5th generation aircraft has been launched.   Romania’s decision to acquire advanced fighter...

Transition program towards F-35, launched
Energy (foto: EdWhiteImages / pixabay.com)
Today in the News Friday, 22 November 2024

The National Energy Strategy, adopted

Using local resources, reducing imports and making massive investments in production capacity are important elements of the new National Energy...

The National Energy Strategy, adopted
European Commission (photo: © European Union - Source: EC - Audiovisual Service / Photographer: Christophe Licoppe)
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

Political agreement on the new European Commission

    The leaders of the three major political groups in the European Parliament have given the green light to the members of the next...

Political agreement on the new European Commission
Photo: aep.ro
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

13 for Romania

    In Romania, presidential elections usually spark the greatest interest and emotions. Even more so this year, when the two rounds of the...

13 for Romania
Today in the News Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading

On Tuesday, the Romanian company Romgaz launched its first issue of bonds on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, worth 500 million EUR. Romgaz is the...

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania ahead of the presidential election

Next month, President Klaus Iohannis will end his second and last five-year term in office according to the Romanian Constitution. The so-called...

Romania ahead of the presidential election
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels

NATO welcomes Romania’s continuous efforts and its significant contribution to strengthening the Alliance and Euro-Atlantic security, NATO...

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels
Today in the News Monday, 18 November 2024

Downward forecast from the European Commission

Romania’s economic growth estimate has been recalculated by the European Commission (EC), at a value well below the initially established...

Downward forecast from the European Commission

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company