Albania: Constitutional Court ruling on TikTok ban reinforces freedom of expression protections - Article

The SafeJournalists Network (SJN), the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcome the ruling by the Constitutional Court of Albania, which found that the Council of Ministers decision suspending nationwide access to the social media platform TikTok for one year constituted a violation of freedom of expression and freedom of the press

Council of Europe Platform partners and other partners to conduct fact-finding mission on media freedom in Kosovo - Article

From 24 to 25 March 2026, partner organisations of the Council of Europe Platform on the Safety of Journalists and other organisations will conduct a two-day fact-finding mission to Prishtina, Kosovo. The purpose of the mission is to assess the challenges to media freedom in the country and to discuss the possible solutions with media stakeholders and authorities

Kosovo: International media freedom groups demand adequate budget for public broadcaster RT - Article

The undersigned international media freedom and journalist organisations today express our serious concerns about the underfunding of Kosovo’s public broadcaster, Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK), and urgently call for legal budget requirements to be met

Albania: Democratic reform of public broadcaster RTSH remains only viable option - Article

The undersigned Albanian and international media freedom and journalist organisations jointly call on the Albanian government to support the reform of the public service broadcaster Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) through lawful, democratic and institutional means, in line with democratic norms and EU standards

Amendments to Albania’s Criminal Code must be strengthened to ensure full decriminalisation of defamation - Article

The undersigned organisations of the SafeJournalists Network, partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) today stress that recent amendments to Albania’s Criminal Code, though positive, must be strengthened to ensure decriminalisation of defamation

EU’s Dangerous ‘Return Hubs’ Policy: A Threat to Journalists in Exile - Article

OBCT joins ECPMF and partner organisations call on the EU to reconsider the policy and place the protection of those fleeing persecution at the centre of its approach

SLAPP in Montenegro: between hesitant courts and missed reforms - Article

Strategic lawsuits against public participation remain an under-recognized practice in the country. The ongoing proceedings before the Podgorica court, initiated by Andrej Vučić, brother of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, against the daily newspaper Vijesti, could set an important precedent for establishing judicial practices in handling SLAPPs

By Olivera Nikolic and Massimo Moratty 

EU Enlargement Package: Assessments must now translate into meaningful media freedom action - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today welcomes the publication of the 2025 EU Enlargement Package  and highlights key media freedom developments and concerns that should shape negotiations with candidate countries moving forward

Call on President von der Leyen to address media freedom crisis in the Western Balkans - Article

Against the backdrop of a rapidly worsening media freedom crisis across the region, most prominently in Serbia, a coalition of international media freedom, journalists’ and freedom of expression organizations calls on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to raise the threats to the protection of journalists and media pluralism with the respective authorities during her visit to the Western Balkans this week (13-16 October)

Open Letter on Improving Journalists’ Access to the Albanian Parliament - Article

MFRR partners and free expression organizations urge the Albanian Parliament to drop plans restricting journalists’ access and to protect media freedom