The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), in cooperation with OBC Transeuropa and Mediacentar Sarajevo, organised a webinar to launch two Shadow Reports on media freedom and the European Union accession process in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The reports were produced as part of the Transnational Advocacy for Freedom of Information in the Balkans (ATLIB) project, co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The webinar brought together journalists, researchers, representatives of public institutions, civil society organisations, and partners from Kosovo, the Western Balkans, and across Europe.
The event opened with welcoming remarks by Thomas Botzios, Counsellor at the Adriatic and Western Balkans Unit of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. During the webinar, Getoarbë Mulliqi, Executive Director of AJK and researcher of the Kosovo report, presented the report’s main findings, focusing on the developments that have affected media freedom during the reporting period. She highlighted the challenges journalists continue to face, including safety concerns, political and institutional pressures, developments in the legal framework, and the importance of aligning reforms with European Union standards under Chapter 23 – Judiciary and Fundamental Rights.
The presentation was followed by Lamija Kovačević, researcher at Mediacentar Sarajevo, who introduced the findings of the Bosnia and Herzegovina report. The discussion also featured Irena Joveva, Member of the European Parliament from the Renew Europe Group, and Tamara Filipović, Coordinator of the SafeJournalists Network, who discussed the state of media freedom in the region, shared challenges across the Western Balkans, and emphasised the importance of advancing freedom of expression and journalists’ safety as part of the EU integration process. The webinar concluded with closing remarks by Massimo Moratti, Senior Researcher at OBC Transeuropa, and was moderated by Serena Epis, Project Officer at OBC Transeuropa.
The Shadow Report on Media Freedom in Kosovo is available here: https://www.balcanicaucaso.
Source: OBCT
