The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and eight partner organizations have called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to address the worsening press freedom crisis in the Western Balkans during her visit to the region this week.
The organizations also expressed concern about the deterioration of media freedom in Kosovo, citing government pressure on both public and private media outlets, reports Klan Kosova TV.
“The joint statement highlights the serious decline in press freedom across the region, including the sudden closure of Al Jazeera Balkans; the alarming rise in violence and threats against journalists in Serbia; the adoption of a ‘foreign agents’ law in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina; and government pressure on public broadcasters and private media in Albania and Kosovo,” CPJ and its partners said.
The coalition warned that these developments represent an existential threat to independent journalism and urged the EU to hold authorities accountable, including through the possible suspension of EU funds if necessary.
The signatories emphasized that press freedom and journalist safety must remain central to the EU enlargement process, urging the Union to send a clear message that independent media are vital to democracy and European values in the Western Balkans.
