The press freedom situation has deteriorated, and in early April the government approved a motion to create a media law aimed at disciplining journalism.
Three ministers of the Wever-Croes 2nd Cabinet do not respond to questions from the 24ora.com news portal and the Trempan digital newspaper. Glenbert Croes, Minister of Integration and Labor, Rocco Tjon, Minister of Justice and Social Affairs, and Endy Croes, Minister of Education and Sports, have labeled these media as lacking credibility and professionalism.
In March, Minister Tjon remarked in two press conferences that he would not answer any questions from 24ora.com and Trempan journalists until they begin to practice real journalism. Minister Glenbert Croes announced that he is joining a protest by ministers to boycott 24ora.com. Xiomara Maduro, Minister of Finance and Culture also refuses to give interviews to 24ora.com.
The Press Office of the Wever-Croes 2nd Cabinet has not sent any press release to 24ora.com since the beginning of February, and excludes the media from some press conferences of the protesting ministers. The faction of the People's Electoral Movement (MEP) has not sent any more press releases to 24ora.com since the same date.
Evelyn Wever-Croes, Minister President, pointed out at a public hearing in Parliament at the beginning of February that she does not trust 24ora.com because the editors want to make the government and the official parliamentarians look bad. In front of the Parliament she shouted: "24ora.com is the least reliable media, and it lacks ethics."
In late 2021, Geoffrey Wever, Minister of Communications, sent a letter to 24ora.com announcing that he was introducing a media law this year to ensure good reporting and ethical journalism.
The Telecommunications Authority (DTZ) is continuously issuing warnings against Bo Guia FM radio for its content.
On April 5, at a public hearing on the 2022 government budget, Parliament approved - by 11 votes (MEP and Raiz coalition) against 10 (AVP Opposition, MAS and Accion21) - a motion to speed up the introduction of the media law. It would include a journalists' council which - according to the coalition - will operate independently from the government and will allow journalists to scrutinize the work of communicators.
