Reporters Without Borders has released its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, marking its 25th edition, warning of a global deterioration in journalism conditions, with 100 out of 180 countries recording a decline. Political pressure, growing authoritarian tendencies, and a weakened media market continue to undermine press freedom worldwide. In Europe and Central Asia, the region shows widespread decline, particularly due to eroding legal protections and the increasing use of legislation to control media. The EU–Balkans zone remains the highest-ranked region in the Index, with conditions worsening across the Western Balkans, where Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia continue to face hostile environments for journalism, marked by political pressure and vulnerability to propaganda. Across the broader region, restrictive laws, defamation lawsuits, and weakened safeguards are increasingly used to limit independent reporting, raising concerns about the rule of law and the protection of media freedom. Read more here.
Source: Reporters Without Borders