The OSCE/ODIHR Final Report on Albania’s 11 May 2025 parliamentary elections paints a stark picture of the media environment, confirming many of the concerns long raised by the SafeJournalists Network (SJN), SCiDEV, media freedom organizations, and civil society in Albania and across the Western Balkans and the EU.

The report concludes that media ownership concentration, political interference, and intimidation of journalists have undermined the conditions for informed public debate and electoral fairness. It also cites the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) as a key source documenting attacks on journalists.

Concentrated Ownership and Political Control

According to ODIHR, “The independence, diversity and integrity of news available to voters are eroded by the dependence of most media on non-transparent financing by political and business interests, often reliant on government contracts” (p. 22).

The report warns that “Concentration in media ownership further undermines the plurality of news sources” (p. 22), with the top four owners controlling 72% of broadcast market revenues and 87% of audience share. Most major media outlets are “perceived to be affiliated with the ruling Socialist Party” (p. 22). See BIRN Albania report on Media Pluralism.

These findings echo SJN’s long-standing documentation of structural threats to media freedom in Albania and the region. Access our annual Indicators Report on Safety of Journalists and Media Freedom here.

Lack of Independence in RTSH and AMA
The report highlights institutional weaknesses in public service media and the media regulator, stating that “the bi-partisan appointment procedure of both the Public Broadcaster (RTSH) and the Audio-visual Media Authority (AMA) does not provide for their de facto independence” (p. 22–23).

ODIHR calls for legislative changes to ensure genuine independence:

“Legislative changes should ensure effective depoliticization and genuine institutional independence of both the Public Broadcaster and the Audio-visual Media Authority in line with international good practice.” (p. 34)

This recommendation reinforces SJN’s advocacy for transparent and merit-based appointment processes that safeguard editorial autonomy from political control. See here our monitoring and advocacy regarding the public broadcaster in Albania.

Attacks, Intimidation, and Shrinking Space
ODIHR documents a disturbing pattern of intimidation, obstruction, and verbal assaults against journalists during the campaign and on election day.

“Widespread interference by media owners in editorial autonomy, along with self-censorship among journalists, negatively affects the information made available to the public.” (p. 23)
“On election and post-election day, ODIHR EOM long-term observers and civil society organizations reported many cases of intimidation and obstruction of journalists’ work.” (p. 23)

Importantly, the report explicitly cites SafeJournalists.net as a source for documenting attacks, highlighting the Network’s role in documenting and verifying attacks against media professionals and promoting accountability. For example, our reaction regarding the attacks during election day on 11 May called on Albanian authorities to promptly and transparently investigate these cases and ensure legal consequences for all violations. We also raised an alarm together with the Media Freedom Rapid Response partner on numerous incidents of intimidation and obstruction faced by journalists covering the Albanian parliamentary elections.

Legal Threats: Defamation and SLAPPs
Despite repeated international recommendations, Albania continues to criminalize defamation. ODIHR found that “journalists have faced numerous civil and criminal defamation cases in recent years, including strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPP) cases” (p. 24).

The report is unequivocal: “Defamation should be fully decriminalized and civil defamation provisions brought in line with international standards on freedom of expression.” (p. 34)

SJN has consistently warned that defamation prosecutions and SLAPPs are used as tools of intimidation, discouraging investigative journalism and weakening democratic oversight. SCiDEV has also released its independent legal analysis of Albania’s draft Penal Code, highlighting significant risks posed by several provisions to freedom of expression, media freedom, and the role of public watchdogs, including journalists, whistleblowers, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders.

State Control of Information and Media Manipulation
The Media and Information Agency (MIA), operating under the Prime Minister’s office, is identified as a key mechanism of centralized government communication: “The Media and Information Agency centralizes and filters information issued about the government and public institutions.” (p. 23).

ODIHR also reports that “footage of the electoral campaign in TV news was provided by political parties themselves instead of journalists” and that “the CEC took no measures to address this practice” (p. 24). This practice, ODIHR concludes, “deprived voters of independent, diverse, and robust information about the electoral contest” (p. 25).

This is a concern that has been constantly raised by SJN, SCiDEV, media freedom organizations, and civil society in Albania and across the Western Balkans and the EU. On 22 January 2025, fourteen civil society organizations issued a joint statement urging political parties and candidates to respect fundamental principles of media freedom, transparency, and democratic debate before and during the electoral campaign leading to Albania’s general elections on 11 May 2025. Regrettably, numerous violations of these principles were observed in the months before, throughout, and on election day. Read more here.

Direct Recommendations Aligned with SJN Priorities
The report issues strong recommendations that align with SJN’s regional agenda:

“State authorities should promote an independent and diverse media environment that is free from political and corporate influence.” (p. 34)
“Comprehensive media-ownership regulation should be adopted and its effective implementation reinforced.” (p. 34)
“Defamation should be fully decriminalized…” (p. 34)
“The rules in the Electoral Code for the allocation of airtime should be amended to ensure a more equitable allocation of airtime for all contestants.” (p. 34)

SJN urges Albanian authorities to act on ODIHR’s recommendations without delay, and calls on the European Union, OSCE, and Council of Europe to condition progress in democratic reforms on tangible improvements in media freedom and journalist safety.

As ODIHR concluded, “The constrained media environment and the failure to implement legal requirements in good faith deprived voters of independent, diverse, and robust information” (p. 25).

That conclusion — grounded in observation and evidence — reflects what Albanian journalists have long been warning: freedom of expression remains the country’s most significant test on its path to democracy.