Balkan States Fall in Press Freedom Rankings

Four Balkan states slipped down the latest press freedom rankings compiled by Reporters Without Borders.

The logo of Reporter Without Borders RSF on a screen before the start of a video conference call online for the launch of the 2020 Press Freedom Index, in Paris, 21 April 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

Balkan states Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia have tumbled down the latest press freedom rankings compiled by media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, which highlighted on Friday the threat around the world from political authorities.

In its 2024 World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders said certain “political groups” were fuelling “hatred and distrust of journalists” by insulting them, discrediting them and threatening them.

“Others are orchestrating a takeover of the media ecosystem, whether through state-owned media under their control, or privately owned media via acquisitions by allied businessmen,” it warned.

Greece, Turkey and Moldova rose in the ranking, despite continued shortcomings, but several Balkan states registered significant declines.

Kosovo and Bosnia register significant decline

A Kosovo Albanian boy covers his face with Kosovo’s national flag during a ceremony to mark the 12th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence in Pristina, Kosovo, 17 February 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/VALDRIN XHEMAJ

Of 180 countries covered by the index, Kosovo dropped 19 places on last year to 75th amid direct attacks on journalists from political groups and physical attacks in the field.

Reporters Without Borders warned that public broadcaster Radio Television of Kosovo, RTK, risked being politicised with the election of Rilind Gervalla, who previously gave money to the ruling Vetevendosje party, as director in January 2023; it said the biggest private Albanian-language broadcaster, Klan Kosova, had been subjected to “administrative harassment from the government”; and the Serbian language media had come under pressure from Serbian politicians while also complaining of discrimination in terms of access to public information.

Bosnia and Herzegovina tumbled 17 places to 81st, mainly thanks to restrictions and political pressure in the predominantly Serb-populated Republika Srpska entity.

The watchdog noted the Republika Srpska’s criminalisation of defamation and political control of the public broadcaster, RTRS.

Albania slipped three places to 99th, amid intimidation of journalists by politicians and organised crime interests.

Reporters Without Borders warned that the right to access to public information is often violated in Albania, with the government centralising communication; it said that the ruling Socialist Party has politicised the public media by appointing political affiliates in charge of the public broadcaster Radio Television of Albania, RTSH, in 2023.

The seizure of material obtained by investigative journalist Elton Qyno last year demonstrated that although Albania’s legal framework is very progressive in guaranteeing the freedom of press, in reality the confidentiality of sources is not respected, the watchdog said.

Serbia dropped seven places to 98th, with Reporters Without Borders citing a polarised political climate in which journalists are targeted by politicians of the ruling Progressive Party in attacks amplified by national broadcasters.

The media noted some positive results on the part of the judiciary in response to attacks against journalists but said that proceedings are often ineffective and lack independence.

Significant shortcomings remain

Turkish Journalists are in protest to condemn the arrest of veteran reporter Tolga Sardan. The placard reads: “We are journalists”. Photo: Journalists’ Union of Turkey, TGS.

Turkey rose seven places to 158th, but the watchdog said that media pluralism is still threatened given that 90 per cent of national media are controlled by the government. Last year, dozens of Kurdish journalists were arrested when reporting on elections won by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The media continue to face online censorship and arbitrary lawsuits, it said.

Hungary also improved its ranking, rising five places to 67th despite Reporters Without Borders designating Prime Minister Viktor Orban “a predator of press freedom”.

Public broadcasting is a propaganda machine, the watchdog warned, and 80 per cent of the media is controlled by the ruling Fidesz party with some private media either taken over or silenced, often by oligarchs with close ties to Fidesz.

Greece climbed 19 places to 88th despite a number of SLAPP lawsuits targeting journalists, arbitrary convictions for fake news and the continued failure to shed further light on the surveillance of journalists by the National Intelligence Service.