In 2025, media freedom and the safety of journalists in the Western Balkans remained under serious and persistent pressure. On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, the SafeJournalists Network recalls that freedom of expression and the public’s right to be informed are fundamental human rights, without which a democratic society cannot exist. Although media markets in most countries are formally pluralistic, the real space for independent journalism is shrinking due to the close links between politics, business and the media, the economic insecurity of newsrooms and the increasingly pronounced attempts to influence editorial autonomy. Such an environment weakens the role of the media as a democratic check and increases the risk of self-censorship.
“At the same time, a worrying continuation of attacks, threats and pressure on journalists has been observed across the region – from physical incidents on the ground, to serious online harassment, particularly targeting female journalists, while institutional responses are often slow, inadequate or without a clear judicial outcome. Other concerns include legal uncertainty, insufficient protection from SLAPP lawsuits and outdated or problematic regulatory frameworks, as well as crises in the governance and financing of public service broadcasters in certain countries. The SafeJournalists Network warns that without sustained political will, effective institutional protection and structural support for sustainable and independent media, these trends will continue to undermine the foundations of freedom of expression and democratic standards in the region,” the network says.
In 2025, the state of media freedoms and the safety of journalists in North Macedonia presents a mixed picture: formal progress and positive legislative changes on the one hand, and significant structural challenges and a stagnation in practice on the other. While the country continues to rank relatively well in the media freedom index, its fall to 42nd place in the Reporters Without Borders Index – six places lower than in 2024 – reflects the reality of an increasingly complex and fragile media environment. In the legal context, the country has adopted several important reforms in recent years, strengthening provisions in the Law on Civil Liability for Insult and Defamation and in the Criminal Code, thus expanding protection mechanisms for journalists.
“However, systemic weaknesses persist: jurisprudence remains unstable, political advertising continues to pose a risk of influencing editorial policies, and state-funded campaigns in private media were reinstated in 2024, despite warnings from the AJMC that this threatens media independence. Mechanisms to support media pluralism in line with European standards are lacking, while the AJMC consistently calls for the full implementation of European recommendations on protection against SLAPP, safety of journalists and modernization of copyright legislation,” the announcement states.
Socio-economic weaknesses further undermine the media landscape: most journalists in Macedonia earn below the national average, and media workers are in an even more precarious position. The lack of young professionals, low salaries, and a shortage of technical and production staff, especially at the public service broadcaster RTVM, seriously threaten the quality and sustainability of the journalism profession. Without significant investment in professional development, fair compensation, and clear work standards, the risk of staff turnover and self-censorship remains high.
