In the annual index published on Tuesday, the US non-governmental organization Freedom House has once again listed Lithuania among countries with free press. A third of surveyed countries, 66 out of 197, were deemed to possess free press.
Lithuania was rated 40-42nd this year, slightly lower than the 36-39th position last year.
This year, Lithuania scored 23 points, where 0 is the best possible score and 100 is the worst. The country received 24 points last year and 25 points in 2010.
Scandinavian countries received the highest scores in 2012 – the top three countries include Finland, Norway and Sweden. Estonia shares the 22-24th position with the US, Poland ranks 47-50th, Latvia – 54-57th, Russia – 172-174th and Belarus ranks 193rd among 197 countries.
In terms of freedom of press, Lithuania is ahead of all Central and Eastern European countries, excluding Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
According to the index, Lithuania's freedom of press indicators are better than those in some Western European countries, such as France, Spain, Greece, and Italy.
To develop the index, Freedom House evaluates legal regulation, political, and economic conditions.
Freedom House has emphasized a considerable increase in freedom of press in the Middle East and North Africa, that have seen a wave of protests and uprisings of the so-called Arab Spring.
2012 05 02
Lithuanian free press index - among highest in the region
Regardless of a slight decrease in ratings, Lithuania placed on an international free press rating above Poland, Latvia, Russia, and Belarus. It did, however, fare worse than Estonia and the Nordic states.
Lithuania ranks 40-42nd in terms of free press. / Okasanos Školnajos/15min.lt nuotr.
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