TALLINN — Estonia’s three largest daily newspapers Äripäev, Õhtuleht and Postimees, printed blank front pages Thursday to protest the government’s proposed law that would force investigative journalists to disclose the names of their anonymous sources.

If passed, the law would allow the arrest of journalists and force them to disclose their sources in the case of libel. Courts would also be able to fine publishers that publish harmful information with the intent of malice. The draft of the Source Protection Act was initiated by Minister of Justice Rein Lang of the Reform Party and was sent to [private_supervisor]the parliament on Tuesday.

Meelis Mandel, editor-in-chief of Äripäev said that by publishing empty front pages, Estonian journalists and newspapers are sending a strong message to the government. Mandel said the law would stifle freedom of speech and the power of the press in Estonia to keep powerful politicians and business owners in check.

“Estonia currently holds a high position in world press freedom rankings. Passing this law would throw Estonia shamefully backwards,” Mandel told Baltic Reports.

Mandel said that the law would strongly discourage whistleblowers on high-level malfeasance from contacting the press.

“There have not been any problems in Estonia concerning this issue,” said Mandel, “I do not understand why there is a need to solve a problem which doesn’t exist.”

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said at his weekly press conference Thursday that those white pages do not express any readiness of discussion or compromise with the government, and asserted that the draft is very European.

“Estonian journalism is one of the most liberal in the world. Unfortunately it cannot be said that this freedom would have involved the reliability of print journalism,” Ansip told the press. “And this reliability in Estonia is pretty modest, and in my opinion these white pages which distance from the debate does not increase trust in the press.”

Minister of Interior Marko Pomerants said at the same press conference that Estonian newspapers are over-evaluating themselves.

“When reading the newspapers, then those cases, what they are worried about in the context of investigative journalism, those stories practically don’t exist or very rarely,” Pomerants said.

Pomerants said that there has not been a case so far where this law would have applied, nor is there a danger that it would threaten any journalistic standards.

“I consider this a pure politics, and this time coming from the side of newspapers,” said Pomerants.

However, newspapers have their support among parliament members as well. The Social Democrats are calling Center Party, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica, People’s Union, and Estonian Greens to vote out the draft bill as it is a threat to freedom of press.

“This draft clearly threatens and limits the freedom of press. The European Commission has repeatedly stressed that the protection of sources is one of the guarantees for freedom of speech. Lang’s draft bill does not assure the source protection,” Hannes Rumm,  a Social Democratic parliamentarian told the press Thursday.

Mart Laar, head of the Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica told in Kuku radio program Thursday morning that Rein Lang obviously thinks that this is a draft that protects journalism.

“However, if those who should be protected by this draft bill find that it harasses them, then there is a strong problem,” said Laar. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]the parliament on Tuesday.

Meelis Mandel, editor-in-chief of Äripäev said that by publishing empty front pages, Estonian journalists and newspapers are sending a strong message to the government. Mandel said the law would stifle freedom of speech and the power of the press in Estonia to keep powerful politicians and business owners in check.

“Estonia currently holds a high position in world press freedom rankings. Passing this law would throw Estonia shamefully backwards,” Mandel told Baltic Reports.

Mandel said that the law would strongly discourage whistleblowers on high-level malfeasance from contacting the press.

“There have not been any problems in Estonia concerning this issue,” said Mandel, “I do not understand why there is a need to solve a problem which doesn’t exist.”

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said at his weekly press conference Thursday that those white pages do not express any readiness of discussion or compromise with the government, and asserted that the draft is very European.

“Estonian journalism is one of the most liberal in the world. Unfortunately it cannot be said that this freedom would have involved the reliability of print journalism,” Ansip told the press. “And this reliability in Estonia is pretty modest, and in my opinion these white pages which distance from the debate does not increase trust in the press.”

Minister of Interior Marko Pomerants said at the same press conference that Estonian newspapers are over-evaluating themselves.

“When reading the newspapers, then those cases, what they are worried about in the context of investigative journalism, those stories practically don’t exist or very rarely,” Pomerants said.

Pomerants said that there has not been a case so far where this law would have applied, nor is there a danger that it would threaten any journalistic standards.

“I consider this a pure politics, and this time coming from the side of newspapers,” said Pomerants.

However, newspapers have their support among parliament members as well. The Social Democrats are calling Center Party, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica, People’s Union, and Estonian Greens to vote out the draft bill as it is a threat to freedom of press.

“This draft clearly threatens and limits the freedom of press. The European Commission has repeatedly stressed that the protection of sources is one of the guarantees for freedom of speech. Lang’s draft bill does not assure the source protection,” Hannes Rumm, a Social Democratic parliamentarian told the press Thursday.

Mart Laar, head of the Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica told in Kuku radio program Thursday morning that Rein Lang obviously thinks that this is a draft that protects journalism.

“However, if those who should be protected by this draft bill find that it harasses them, then there is a strong problem,” said Laar. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]the parliament on Tuesday.

Meelis Mandel, editor-in-chief of Äripäev said that by publishing empty front pages, Estonian journalists and newspapers are sending a strong message to the government. Mandel said the law would stifle freedom of speech and the power of the press in Estonia to keep powerful politicians and business owners in check.

“Estonia currently holds a high position in world press freedom rankings. Passing this law would throw Estonia shamefully backwards,” Mandel told Baltic Reports.

Mandel said that the law would strongly discourage whistleblowers on high-level malfeasance from contacting the press.

“There have not been any problems in Estonia concerning this issue,” said Mandel, “I do not understand why there is a need to solve a problem which doesn’t exist.”

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said at his weekly press conference Thursday that those white pages do not express any readiness of discussion or compromise with the government, and asserted that the draft is very European.

“Estonian journalism is one of the most liberal in the world. Unfortunately it cannot be said that this freedom would have involved the reliability of print journalism,” Ansip told the press. “And this reliability in Estonia is pretty modest, and in my opinion these white pages which distance from the debate does not increase trust in the press.”

Minister of Interior Marko Pomerants said at the same press conference that Estonian newspapers are over-evaluating themselves.

“When reading the newspapers, then those cases, what they are worried about in the context of investigative journalism, those stories practically don’t exist or very rarely,” Pomerants said.

Pomerants said that there has not been a case so far where this law would have applied, nor is there a danger that it would threaten any journalistic standards.

“I consider this a pure politics, and this time coming from the side of newspapers,” said Pomerants.

However, newspapers have their support among parliament members as well. The Social Democrats are calling Center Party, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica, People’s Union, and Estonian Greens to vote out the draft bill as it is a threat to freedom of press.

“This draft clearly threatens and limits the freedom of press. The European Commission has repeatedly stressed that the protection of sources is one of the guarantees for freedom of speech. Lang’s draft bill does not assure the source protection,” Hannes Rumm, a Social Democratic parliamentarian told the press Thursday.

Mart Laar, head of the Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica told in Kuku radio program Thursday morning that Rein Lang obviously thinks that this is a draft that protects journalism.

“However, if those who should be protected by this draft bill find that it harasses them, then there is a strong problem,” said Laar. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]the parliament on Tuesday.

Meelis Mandel, editor-in-chief of Äripäev said that by publishing empty front pages, Estonian journalists and newspapers are sending a strong message to the government. Mandel said the law would stifle freedom of speech and the power of the press in Estonia to keep powerful politicians and business owners in check.

“Estonia currently holds a high position in world press freedom rankings. Passing this law would throw Estonia shamefully backwards,” Mandel told Baltic Reports.

Mandel said that the law would strongly discourage whistleblowers on high-level malfeasance from contacting the press.

“There have not been any problems in Estonia concerning this issue,” said Mandel, “I do not understand why there is a need to solve a problem which doesn’t exist.”

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said at his weekly press conference Thursday that those white pages do not express any readiness of discussion or compromise with the government, and asserted that the draft is very European.

“Estonian journalism is one of the most liberal in the world. Unfortunately it cannot be said that this freedom would have involved the reliability of print journalism,” Ansip told the press. “And this reliability in Estonia is pretty modest, and in my opinion these white pages which distance from the debate does not increase trust in the press.”

Minister of Interior Marko Pomerants said at the same press conference that Estonian newspapers are over-evaluating themselves.

“When reading the newspapers, then those cases, what they are worried about in the context of investigative journalism, those stories practically don’t exist or very rarely,” Pomerants said.

Pomerants said that there has not been a case so far where this law would have applied, nor is there a danger that it would threaten any journalistic standards.

“I consider this a pure politics, and this time coming from the side of newspapers,” said Pomerants.

However, newspapers have their support among parliament members as well. The Social Democrats are calling Center Party, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica, People’s Union, and Estonian Greens to vote out the draft bill as it is a threat to freedom of press.

“This draft clearly threatens and limits the freedom of press. The European Commission has repeatedly stressed that the protection of sources is one of the guarantees for freedom of speech. Lang’s draft bill does not assure the source protection,” Hannes Rumm, a Social Democratic parliamentarian told the press Thursday.

Mart Laar, head of the Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica told in Kuku radio program Thursday morning that Rein Lang obviously thinks that this is a draft that protects journalism.

“However, if those who should be protected by this draft bill find that it harasses them, then there is a strong problem,” said Laar. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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