Serbian authorities have withdrawn an order requiring Italian journalist Massimo Moratti to leave the country, clearing the way for him to remain in Serbia and apply for a new residence permit, his media organization said on Tuesday.
Moratti, a correspondent for the Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) based in Belgrade, was ordered on September 4 to leave Serbia within 15 days on unspecified security grounds.
OBCT said the authorities have now withdrawn the order and that there are no longer obstacles to Moratti obtaining a new residence permit.
Moratti has lived in Belgrade since 2022. Earlier this month, his application for temporary residence was rejected, followed by an expulsion order.
His colleagues at OBCT, the European Federation of Journalists and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) had criticized the decision, saying Serbian authorities had not provided specific reasons for refusing his residence application.
The organizations raised concerns that the decision could be linked to Moratti’s reporting and research on human rights, media freedom and political and social developments in Serbia.
The European Commission had also previously expressed concern over Serbia’s decision to reject the residence application of the Italian journalist and media-freedom researcher.
The case comes amid broader concerns from international media and civil-society organizations about conditions for journalists and freedom of expression in Serbia.
According to the article, Serbia ranked 104th out of 180 countries in this year’s Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, while Montenegro ranked 41st.
The article also cited Freedom House’s latest assessment, which said Serbia recorded the largest decline in freedom in the region during 2025, losing three points amid measures taken by authorities against teachers and professors who participated in widespread, student-led anti-corruption protests.
