Media freedom in Kosovo has declined since 2023, prompting calls for urgent government action, according to an international media freedom mission. A two-day visit to Pristina by a coalition of media freedom organisations under the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Safety of Journalists found that Kosovo’s previously stable media environment has deteriorated over the past three years.
Despite a pluralistic media landscape, low levels of physical violence against journalists, and broad legislative alignment with European standards, several factors have undermined press freedom. These include an unconstitutional media law that would have increased political control over the Independent Media Commission, insufficient funding and political pressure on Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK), and sustained verbal attacks against journalists by ruling party politicians. These developments have disrupted Kosovo’s positive trajectory for media freedom since independence, affecting its regional standing in the EU accession process.
The mission noted improvements in judicial responses to journalist safety, with recent court cases handled more swiftly under the Kosovo Judicial Council’s 2026–2028 strategy, which prioritises defamation, SLAPP cases, and attacks against media workers. Physical attacks on journalists have decreased from the 2023 spike, yet online harassment, denigration, and political attacks against journalists have increased, reaching a peak in 2025. Toxic narratives falsely portraying journalists as foreign agents, particularly by Vetëvendosje officials, remain a serious concern, especially for Serbian and minority media facing additional external threats and restricted access to public information.
The delegation urged the Prime Minister and officials to publicly condemn attacks and divisive rhetoric against journalists, but received no commitment to do so. Kosovo’s media faces further challenges from political and business influence, weak separation between ownership and editorial policy, and limited transparency in public authorities, all of which weaken investigative journalism and public trust. The mission emphasised the need for RTK’s independence and sufficient funding, expressing concern over legislative gaps, economic challenges, and political pressures affecting public broadcasting.
While government officials argued that media capture by private interests is the main threat to press freedom, the delegation stressed that the government bears responsibility for recent declines. It recommended legislative alignment with the European Media Freedom Act, including reforms to the Law on Radio Television of Kosovo and the Law on Protection of Journalistic Sources, to support EU accession objectives. Legal safeguards for media freedom remain broadly aligned with EU standards, and no journalists have been arrested in recent years. However, the Constitutional Court’s intervention to strike down the unconstitutional media law highlighted the increasing pressure on Kosovo’s media system.
The mission concluded that restoring media freedom is critical for Kosovo’s democratic credibility and EU accession process. A report outlining the findings and recommendations will be published and shared with the Council of Europe, European Union, United Nations, and OSCE. The mission, held from 24–26 March, involved meetings with Prime Minister Albin Kurti, editors, journalists, judicial authorities, regulatory bodies, RTK representatives, and was supported by international and local media organisations.
