TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia tops a new survey of media freedom among those eastern European countries that are not members of EU but associated through the Eastern Partnership.

The report is called Media Freedom Index in Eastern Partners Countries and was presented in Moldova‘s capital Chisinau on October 4.

Internews, a media development non-profit, cooperated with leading media NGOs in Ukraine and five other countries in the EU-funded project which took place between March and June of 2013.

Georgia received 1222 points and has the highest degree of media freedom among the six, according to the survey. Moldova comes second, Armenia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan took the next three positions, and Belarus has the lowest ranking with 414 points.

The survey assessed only the level of freedom of speech; not the quality of journalism.

Criteria used were the political context, actual practice, including attacks, threats, detentions and censorship, as well as access to broadcasting and access to the Internet.

At the press conference, a new website was presented which will cover topics related to the theme of the project.