‘Threats are increasing’: The EU official on a mission to protect media freedom

Věra Jourová says her upbringing in former Czechoslovakia has inspired her work to ensure journalism remains independent, writes Jennifer Rankin

The European Commission used to argue it had no powers to defend the free press, but starting her job as European commissioner for values and transparency in 2019, Věra Jourová realised 'passivity might be a fatal mistake'. File Picture

Věra Jourová was 13 when she was first investigated for her political views. It was 1977 in communist Czechoslovakia and the state was cracking down on political dissidents who had signed the human rights declaration Charter 77. Her civics teacher wanted to know what she thought of the document. Ms Jourová’s parents were already blacklisted and she feared the wrong answer would make things worse. 

“It was a horror moment,” recalls Ms Jourová, who knew about Charter 77 from the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe broadcasts that her family listened to in secret. So she said nothing and saw her school marks slide.