Supported by the European Commission, journalists’ associations from the Western Balkan countries have established the Safejournalists.net platform to jointly monitor media legislation and practice in their countries and engage in advancing the legal and institutional environment in which journalists and other media professionals work. Based on a carefully designed methodology, Safejournalists.net partners conduct annual advocacy research, which has provided journalists’ associations with evidence-based, reliable, and relevant data on the main problems and obstacles encountered in the implementation of the EU standards in the field of media and journalists’ freedom and safety in the Western Balkans. The findings from the advocacy research enhance partners’ activities by providing them with fresh evidence and examples that refine and strengthen their advocacy positions.
Starting in 2023, Safejournalists.net has combined the two (qualitative and quantitative) research tools into one single advocacy research project – Indicators on the Level of Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety Index. The platform monitors the situation in seven countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Serbia. The entire research process is divided into two phases: in the first phase, data is collected for all qualitative indicators – for both media freedoms and journalists’ safety. In the second phase, the qualitative indicators for the safety of journalists are converted into quantitative, followed by the scoring process and calculation of the Journalists’ Safety Index. A range of various research methods were applied to collect and analyze the data related to each specific qualitative indicator. At the country level, the advocacy research is conducted by national researchers who collect the data and draft the narrative reports, which are then reviewed by local media and legal experts and by lead researchers. In Albania, Blerjana Bino is the national researcher Kristina Voko serves as the media expert and Erida Skëndaj is the legal expert to review the report. Members of the Advisory Panel in Albania were: Besar Likmeta, Dorian Matlija, Elira Canga, Elvin Luku, Gjergj Erebara, Ilda Londo, Koloreto Cukali, Lutfi Dervishi, Orkidea Xhaferaj.
The Indicators on the Level of Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety Index 2023 for Albania demonstrates that the overall environment for independent and professional journalism in Albania is currently under considerable strain due to a combination of structural challenges. The intertwining of political, economic, and media interests, coupled with the concentration of media ownership and limited transparency, has created an atmosphere where independent, high-quality journalism is increasingly difficult to sustain. These challenges are further exacerbated by inadequate legal protections, poor working conditions, and persistent threats to the safety of journalists. To foster a more enabling environment for journalism, there is an urgent need for comprehensive reforms that address these underlying issues. This includes strengthening legal protections for journalists, improving their working conditions, and enhancing the capacity of state institutions to safeguard their safety.
Journalists’ Safety Index Albania shows a slight decline in score from 2.84 in 2022 to 2.80 in 2023.
In 2023, lawsuits against journalists in Albania increased, and many viewed SLAPPs as intended to silence investigative reporting. A significant case raised concerns about source confidentiality when authorities seized a journalist’s personal and professional materials. Working conditions for journalists remain precarious. In 2023, journalists in Albania lacked effective protective measures, with no tailored legal aid or dedicated safety mechanisms in place. The state’s response to threats, especially online harassment, remained slow and insufficient, leaving journalists vulnerable. Women journalists faced limited gender-specific protections, and public condemnation of attacks was inconsistent. In 2023, Albania saw no improvement in the establishment of specialized units or protocols for investigating attacks on journalists. Investigations into serious physical attacks and online harassment remained inadequate, leading to a sense of impunity. There is yet no comprehensive data collection system regarding attacks on journalists. In 2023, SJN recorded 24 cases. Five cases of non-physical threats and harassment against journalists, often involving public officials, and sparking safety concerns, were registered in Albania. Two threats to journalists’ physical safety and nine actual attacks were also reported, including physical assaults on reporters during their work. Additionally, there were nine cases of threats and attacks on media outlets, including a tragic shooting at a TV station.
Learn more on the: Indicators on the Level of Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety Index 2023 in English and Albanian.