The Western Balkans, home to some 20 million people, is facing an alarming decline in independent news sources, as foreign-funded media outlets across the region shut down amid shrinking international support and growing domestic political pressure.
The latest blow came with the unexpected closure of Al Jazeera Balkans, the regional arm of the Qatar-based news network. More than 200 employees lost their jobs. In a statement, Al Jazeera cited a broader strategic shift towards strengthening its digital presence and expanding new media platforms.
The trend follows earlier setbacks, including the effective dissolution of USAID’s media assistance programmes. Voice of America has not published new content since March, while Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is reportedly struggling to secure funding and has been downsizing operations. The parent companies of regional broadcasters N1 and Nova have also undergone major leadership changes.
USAID, which supported over 6,200 journalists and 700 media organizations worldwide in 2023, was formally disbanded in early July following an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump, issued shortly after his inauguration in January. The move transferred foreign aid coordination responsibilities to the State Department.
The order also slashed funding and staff for seven federal agencies, including the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees both Voice of America and RFE/RL. While RFE/RL continues to broadcast, it is involved in a legal dispute with USAGM and has implemented cost-cutting measures such as unpaid leave and termination of freelance contracts.
In the private sector, the June dismissal of top executives at United Group – the parent company of N1 and Nova – raised concerns about growing political influence. Editors at both networks warned of threats to editorial independence. United Group operates across Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria. The company is majority-owned by London-based investment firm BC Partners.
In Serbia, N1 journalists received death threats earlier this month, following years of verbal attacks by President Aleksandar Vučić’s government. Unknown individuals also blocked access to N1’s offices in Belgrade.
Regional outlook: Media at risk
Boro Kontić, head of the Sarajevo Media Center, told RFE/RL that the survival of independent media in the Balkans depends on a joint effort by journalists and governments. “The media are a cornerstone of democracy,” he said. “Without a strong media community and professional, critical journalism, the public loses its voice.”
He warned that even those satisfied with the current media environment will soon realize the dangers of shrinking media freedom. “The disappearance of major independent outlets means the collapse of a professional community that enables society to have critical voices and investigative reporting,” Kontić said.
Snežana Milivojević, a journalism professor at the University of Belgrade, said the shutdown of high-quality media represents a broader loss for the public, not just the journalists laid off.
“These media upheld professional standards, offered diverse programming, and contributed to pluralism,” she told RFE/RL, adding that foreign-owned media in the region have faced increasing resistance and political interference.
“In Serbia, we’re witnessing a return of the state into the media space through Telekom Serbia and a range of state-friendly channels,” Milivojević said. “There is a growing gap between local political pressure and the lack of engagement from the international democratic community.”
Montenegro: Warning signs multiply
Milka Tadić Mijović, director of the Centre for Investigative Journalism in Montenegro, said the trend is particularly worrying for the region.
“These media outlets played a crucial role during the darkest years of the 1990s. They maintained a distance from political power – a rarity in the Balkans,” she said. Their closure, she warned, could lead to greater media capture by authoritarian leaders and corrupt business elites.
“We already have unreformed public broadcasters and a flood of tabloids. On top of that, disinformation spreads at lightning speed via social media,” Tadić Mijović said.
Kosovo: From media freedom leader to regional laggard
Flutura Kusari, senior legal advisor at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), said media freedom in Kosovo has deteriorated sharply.
“Due to actions by the government and the ruling party Vetëvendosje, including unconstitutional legislation later struck down by the Constitutional Court, the media environment has worsened,” she said.
Journalists, activists and media outlets in Kosovo face harassment from politicians, including Prime Minister Albin Kurti, while access to public documents has become increasingly restricted. Regulatory bodies and public broadcasters are also under political pressure.
“Kosovo risks falling from a regional leader in media freedom to one of its most alarming cases,” Kusari warned.
Press freedom rankings
In the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, Kosovo ranked lowest in the Western Balkans at 99th place, followed by Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Montenegro ranked highest in the region at 37th.