The Association of Journalists of Kosovo is alarmed by a new, drastic drop for Kosovo in the new ranking of the annual World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders.
From the 75th position where it had fallen last year, this organization for 2025 ranks Kosovo at 99th place out of a total of 180 countries for which it conducts the measurement.
The report highlights that journalist in Kosovo are a constant target of political attacks and are unfairly labeled “collaborators of the enemy.” The approval of the Law on the IMC, which politicized this independent body, is also criticized.
“Even if the media succeed in holding politicians accountable, journalists continue to be the targets of political attacks. The ineffective media regulator, the Independent Media Commission (IMC), was subjected to a controversial legislative reform that risks further hampering its independence. Before the 2025 general election, several private media were targeted by a boycott from the government, which also threatened the independence of the public broadcaster RTK. Although journalists are trusted by society, independent media and investigative journalists are often the targets of insults and fake news on social media. They are unfairly accused of “collaborating with the enemy”, rhetoric used by political and religious groups,” the report states in its main section.
It also mentions the increase in SLAPP lawsuits against journalists, difficulties in accessing public documents, surveillance of journalists, and threats to their physical safety.
AJK is deeply concerned by this ranking, the lowest in a decade, since 2015. However, it sees this as a reflection of a continuous active hostile policy towards the media in the last two years by the Government led by the political party, Vetëvendosje.
AJK invites all institutional and civil society actors to work together, including drafting a new law for the IMC, so that the country can improve its catastrophic ranking in the media freedom index.
You can read the report here:https://rsf.org/en/country-kosovo.