A working group was formed in January 2025 to draft the proposed legislation, with the Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND) represented in the group.
On 19 June 2026, the Croatian Parliament passed the Act on the Protection of Persons Involved in Public Activities, transposing the provisions of Directive (EU) 2024/1069.
Croatia’s transposition of the Directive introduces two important advances:
However, significant gaps remain. The legislation focuses almost exclusively on civil proceedings, relies heavily on defendants to activate protective mechanisms and does not provide sufficiently clear deadlines, sanctions or procedural powers for courts. Unless these shortcomings are addressed, the legislation may offer only limited protection to those most exposed to abusive litigation.
Sources:
CASE is a coalition of European NGOs that recognize the threat posed to public watchdogs by Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).
The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) was founded in 2015 in Leipzig, Germany, and operates under European press freedom charters.
CASE is a coalition of European NGOs that recognize the threat posed to public watchdogs by Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).
The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) was founded in 2015 in Leipzig, Germany, and operates under European press freedom charters.
Mapping Media Freedom documents press and media freedom violations across Europe. The documented incidents are publicly accessible and can be explored, filtered, and searched through the interactive Alert Explorer.