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"Albania and Kosovo, partly free", the "Freedom House" report: Official Tirana leaves Montenegro and North Macedonia behind
2026-03-19 09:48:54 / EKONOMI&SOCIALE
Kosovo and Albania have been classified as "partly free" countries in the latest annual report by the Washington-based organization Freedom House.
However, Kosovo has marked a slight improvement in the 2026 Freedom in the World Report, scoring 61 points out of 100, one more than a year ago.
The report published on March 19 states that in Kosovo "courts have issued decisions that demonstrate their independence, although they have faced great political pressure."
According to the report, the political and institutional crisis that hit Kosovo over the past year, when the country was governed almost the entire time by an acting government, has affected the country's progress in the judiciary.
“In Kosovo, for example, newly elected lawmakers failed to form a government for most of the year, while the incumbent government reportedly exceeded its technical mandate, resulting in early elections; this gridlock eroded the country’s progress in judicial independence and physical security,” the report said.
In the previous report, when Kosovo had 60 points, the country was assessed as having many public institutions undermined by corruption, that journalists faced intimidation, and that the rule of law was hindered by interference and dysfunction in the judicial system.
How do the other Western Balkan countries rank?
Of the countries in the region, Serbia ranks worst, as it is rated with 53 points, while Bosnia and Herzegovina with 54 points.
Albania, meanwhile, is rated highest, with 69 points, followed by Montenegro with 68 points and North Macedonia with 67 points.
Albania also improved by one point compared to last year's report.
The Freedom in the World report includes country assessments and reports on political rights and civil liberties in 195 countries and 13 territories around the world.
This year's report covers developments from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025.
Military coups, violence against peaceful protesters and efforts to weaken constitutional guarantees during 2025 made this the 20th consecutive year of decline in global freedom, according to a report from Freedom House.
The report found that 54 countries experienced deterioration in political rights and civil liberties, while only 35 recorded improvements.
Today, only 21 percent of the world's population lives in countries rated as free, a drop from 46 percent two decades ago, the report said.
Guinea-Bissau, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Madagascar and El Salvador recorded the biggest drops in scores within a year, while Syria, Sri Lanka, Bolivia and Gabon enjoyed the biggest improvements.
Three countries – Bolivia, Fiji and Malawi – improved from “partly free” to “free” status, thanks to competitive elections, increased judicial independence and strengthening the rule of law. /rel
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