Kosovo has made notable progress in strengthening its legal framework and developing a pluralistic media landscape, but significant challenges remain in ensuring media freedom and the safety of journalists, according to a new Council of Europe report.
The findings were presented during the launch of the fact-finding mission report by the Council of Europe Platform for the Safety of Journalists.
Speaking at the event, Mary-Ann Hennessey from the Council of Europe Office in Prishtina said the platform brings together international organizations, non-governmental organizations and journalists’ associations to facilitate the rapid reporting of threats to press freedom and coordinate responses among member states and partner organizations.
She noted that although Kosovo is not yet a member state of the Council of Europe, the platform and its partner organizations continue to monitor developments and follow the findings of fact-finding missions in the country.
Hennessey highlighted Kosovo’s progress in building a pluralistic media environment, emphasizing the contributions of government institutions, the judiciary, media organizations and civil society.
Boguslaw Gertruda, representative of the European Union Office in Kosovo, stressed that media freedom and the safety of journalists are fundamental democratic values and an essential component of Kosovo’s European integration process.
Finland’s Ambassador to Kosovo, Eevamari Laaksonen, acknowledged the progress made in improving the legal framework governing the media sector, while warning that serious challenges remain in safeguarding media freedom and protecting journalists.
Meanwhile, Agron Maxhuni, a representative of the Kosovo Judicial Council, said cases involving the media are treated as a priority under the judiciary’s strategic plan for improving access to justice.
The report underscores both the progress Kosovo has achieved and the need for continued reforms to strengthen press freedom, enhance journalist safety, and reinforce democratic standards in line with European principles.
