Populists’ stunning electoral victories in Europe and the United States have shaken the post–Cold War order in Europe and Eurasia, but they could ultimately reinvigorate liberal democracy.
In its latest report the US-based international human rights group Freedom House, has ranked Kosovo among partly free countries along with regional countries like Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbia however was moved to the category of free countries. With regards to political rights, Kosovo scored 3 points in contrast with 4 last year on a scale from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free). The state of civil liberties remains unchanged at 4.
According to the newest Freedom House report “Nations in Transit”, there is no consolidated democracy in any of the Balkans countries while four out of seven countries registered have recorded a decline in their democracy level. Kosovo, which scored 5.14, has been ranked amongst the countries with semi-consolidated authoritarian regime along with Armenia and Kyrgyzstan while Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), and Bosnia and Herzegovina are part of the so-called transitional government or hybrid regime.
The Freedom House has published the 2015 annual report on the freedom of the media. The report, which covers 199 countries and territories, ranks Kosovo 100th in the list, compared to the 98th position it had last year. Zekirija Shabani, the chairman of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK), said he was not surprised by Kosovo’s ranking and said that an even more negative assessment was expected. “There is a marked increase of attacks, threats, blackmails and censorship against journalists this year.