Human Rights Watch: Kosovo gets poor protection for journalists

“Human Rights Watch noted increased political interference, slanderous campaigns, limited access to information, abusive regulation and poor protection of journalists”, the report said.

The report quotes Kosovo Journalists' Association figures, where 54 incidents were recorded against journalists, including a physical attack, a death threat and 15 cases of harassment, hate speech or slanderous campaigns, mainly by political figures.

It is also mentioned that Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Kosovo 99th out of 180 countries in the 2025 Press Freedom Index, a 24-nation drop from last year, making it the lowest in the EU Balkan region.

The report also mentions several-month blockades of Kosovo institutions, and also how the European Commission's November Enlargement Report raised concerns of unfair political influence over the judiciary.

The report also reportedly also said tensions in northern Kosovo have continued, stressing that police raids have been conducted in Serb majority institutions, which caused protests.

As for the sex orientation and gender identity, in the <x0Humans Rught Watch” report, it is said the Government has failed to approve the plans warned in May 2024 for legalising civil communities of the same sex.

“During Kosovo's parliamentary elections in February 2025, political parties often used discriminatory and deignive rhetoric against persons, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), and largely ignored the issues affecting them”, the section said.

In addition, no progress has been made, even in offering apologies to UN-displaced Kosovo Roma in already closed camps, following the 1999 war.