site.btaReporters Without Borders Observes Deterioration of Media Freedom Across Most Balkan Countries

A deterioration in media freedom in most countries in the Balkan region is observed by the non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders through its annual World Press Freedom Index. Among the few exceptions is Kosovo, where a significant improvement is observed, reflected in a rise of 15 places in the ranking, although the country still remains among the lowest-ranked in Europe.

Improvements in media freedom are also recorded in Croatia, Romania, and Greece, while all other countries in the region show a decline, including Bulgaria, which is ranked 71st in terms of media freedom, one place lower than last year. On the interactive map accompanying the index, Bulgaria is marked in brown, indicating that the situation with media freedom is defined as “problematic” by Reporters Without Borders.

Most of the other Balkan countries are also classified as “problematic,” with the exception of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, where the state of media freedom is described as “difficult,” and Turkiye, which falls among the countries with the most severe situation, characterized as “very serious.”

The following is an overview of countries in the region, ranked according to the level of media freedom based on the Reporters Without Borders index:

Slovenia, despite dropping three places over the past year in the Reporters Without Borders ranking, remains the country with the best media environment in the region, at 36th place. Among European Union countries, Slovenia retains its 18th position.

Regarding the country, the organization expresses concern that the measures to protect media freedom and journalists in Slovenia are not sufficient. Reporters Without Borders draws attention to the fact that defamation is still a criminal offence, which poses a risk to journalists. Progress in the media sector continues to be overshadowed by negative trends such as lawsuits against media outlets like the regional N1 and the local outlet Ostro, as well as political attacks against journalists, the organization notes.

Montenegro is ranked 41st in this year’s index, marking a decline from 37th place last year.

The Constitution and laws of Montenegro guarantee freedom of speech and expression, but press freedom continues to be threatened by political interference, unresolved attacks against journalists, and economic pressure, the media organization states in its report on the country.

North Macedonia has dropped three positions compared to 2025 and ranks 45th in this year’s World Press Freedom Index. In its report on the country, the organization writes that although journalists (in North Macedonia) do not work in a hostile environment, widespread disinformation and a lack of professionalism contribute to a decline in public trust in the media, which exposes independent outlets to threats and attacks. The report also notes that public officials in the country often display poor and degrading attitudes toward journalists.

The overall environment in North Macedonia remains favorable for press freedom, but state agencies are not very transparent and critical journalism is increasingly targeted, the report also notes.

Romania is ranked 49th in the Reporters Without Borders media freedom index. The report states that the country is proud of a diverse and relatively pluralistic media landscape, providing fertile ground for high-impact public interest investigations. However, a key weakness identified is the lack of transparency in media funding, particularly regarding public funds allocated to political parties, which undermines the credibility of information.

Media independence suffers from attempts at political interference, especially regarding the appointment of heads of public radio and television stations and the National Audiovisual Council. Political parties can obtain favorable media coverage in exchange for non-transparent media funding, and populist politicians have adopted an aggressive political discourse toward journalists, the document further states.

Croatia has recorded an improvement in media freedom over the past year. It is ranked 53rd this year, compared to 60th place in 2025. Reporters Without Borders notes that although the country’s media landscape is diverse and dynamic, the government has failed to protect journalists from so-called SLAPP lawsuits and attacks by organized crime. The organization also identifies the presence of government pressure on the media.

Bulgaria ranks 71st in media freedom in the annual index of the non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders. This represents a decline of one position compared to last year.

Press freedom is described as fragile and unstable in one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the European Union. The few independent media outlets in Bulgaria are under pressure, the section on the country in the Reporters Without Borders report states.

Intimidation of journalists by politicians and the manipulation of certain media outlets for political purposes are common practice in Bulgaria, the report published on the organization’s website further states.

Cyprus also records a decline, falling from 77th place in 2025 to 80th in the new ranking. “Although press freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution, the government, the Orthodox Church, and business interests exert significant influence over the media in Cyprus. The long-standing conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots also has a significant impact on the way the media operate,” the report notes.

Albania has fallen to 83rd place (from 80th last year), and the report notes that press freedom and media independence in the country are threatened by conflicts of interest between business circles and the political sphere, an imperfect legal framework, and biased regulation. Journalists are victims of intimidation by politicians and organized crime, according to Reporters Without Borders.

Kosovo has made significant progress in media freedom, rising 15 positions compared to 2025 to 84th place in this year’s index. Despite this substantial improvement, Kosovo remains among the lowest-ranked countries in Europe in this area, the report further states.

Greece is ranked last among European Union countries in terms of media freedom, placing 86th out of 180 countries worldwide included in this year’s Reporters Without Borders index. The report reflects some improvement compared to 2025, when the country was ranked 89th.

Media freedom in Greece has been in a systemic crisis since 2021, the report states, noting that the scandal involving the alleged wiretapping of journalists by the National Intelligence Service (EYP) has still not been clarified, as well as the case of the murder of long-time crime reporter Giorgos Karaivaz in 2021. SLAPP lawsuits targeting media outlets or individual journalists are common, the human rights organization writes.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is ranked 90th in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, marking a decline compared to the previous year, when the country held 86th place. The most serious problems are in the Republika Srpska entity, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Serbs, where the re-criminalization of defamation and the growing influence of Russian propaganda further complicate the work of journalists and public-interest media. At the same time, in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the majority population consists of Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats, the situation is relatively more favorable, although overall the political climate remains unfavorable for media freedom.

Serbia has dropped eight places compared to the previous report and is ranked 104th among countries where the situation is described as “difficult.”

Although Serbia has high-quality journalism that has won awards for its investigative reporting on crime and corruption, it is squeezed between uncontrolled fake news and propaganda. Despite a solid legal framework, journalists are subjected to political pressure, and crimes committed against them remain unpunished, the report says.

In a political climate that has become even more polarized by anti-government protests in 2023–2025, journalists are often targeted by members of the ruling elite, led by President Aleksandar Vucic, and amplified by certain national television channels. In addition, journalists critical of the government have limited access to interviews with officials and to public information, Reporters Without Borders says.

According to the human rights organization, although the Constitution of Serbia guarantees freedom of expression, journalists often work in a restrictive environment and tend to practice self-censorship.

Turkiye, ranked 163rd out of 180 countries (down from 159th last year), is described as a country where anti-terrorism laws are not the only type of legislation used to restrict press freedom. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, charges such as “disinformation,” “insulting the president,” and “defaming state institutions” are regularly used to suppress journalism and imprison media workers, the Reporters Without Borders report states.

Authoritarianism in Turkiye is gaining momentum, and media pluralism is increasingly in question. All possible means are being used to undermine critics, the report concludes. According to Reporters Without Borders, 90% of Turkish media are under government control.