The European Commission, in its annual report on Kosovo, recorded 35 cases of physical and verbal attacks or threats against journalists during the reporting period. This is a considerable decline compared with the previous year. The report stresses that the documented cases include obstruction of journalists’ work by security officials.
The report also mentions accusations of harsh language from senior government officials, including Prime Minister Albin Kurti, directed at journalists and media outlets. Attacks on journalists in Kosovo remain an ongoing concern according to the European Commission’s report on Kosovo. The Commission calls on public officials to refrain from rhetoric that targets or discredits journalists.
Attacks and intimidation must be condemned. According to the report, during the reporting period a cameraman was arrested and temporarily held in pretrial detention by the Kosovo Police. At least four people were detained for threatening journalists.
Cases of intimidation also include online harassment and the dissemination of journalists’ personal data. No strategic lawsuits against public participation, known as SLAPPs, were recorded during this period. The Association of Journalists of Kosovo sees the report as a real reflection of the difficult environment for journalism in the country. It once again calls for an end to attacks on journalists and for respect for their work in the public interest.