Reporters Without Borders’ annual World Press Freedom Index indicates a general deterioration of media freedom across most Balkan countries. While Kosovo shows significant improvement, rising 15 spots in the ranking, the nation remains among the lowest-ranked in Europe. Croatia, Romania, and Greece also reported improvements, though many other countries experienced declines.
Bulgaria, for instance, ranks 71st, one position lower than the previous year, and its situation is categorized as “problematic” by the organization. The report notes that the state of media freedom is described as “difficult” in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, while Turkiye faces the most severe assessment, marked as “very serious.”
In contrast, Slovenia remains the regional leader in media freedom, ranking 36th, despite RSF expressing concerns regarding insufficient protections for journalists, particularly concerning defamation laws. Montenegro declined from 37th to 41st, with its press freedom continually threatened by political interference and economic pressure.
Other nations show varying levels of concern. North Macedonia dropped three positions, with the report highlighting that widespread disinformation and a lack of professionalism contribute to declining public trust in the media. Romania, despite a pluralistic media landscape, faces weaknesses related to the transparency of media funding and political interference in appointing public broadcasting heads.
The index reveals that political influence and economic pressures continue to challenge press freedom across these countries. Albania fell to 83rd, with press independence threatened by conflicts of interest and an imperfect legal framework. Overall, the data underscores ongoing challenges to media autonomy across these Balkan countries.
Topics: #freedom #media #countries
It’s concerning to see such a widespread decline in media freedom across the Balkans.