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Pristina 27 February 2026
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Strengthening co-operation to protect media freedom: legal risks and safeguards discussed in Pristina

The escalating threat posed by Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) has intensified the need for joint action and robust support networks among journalists, media professionals, and legal practitioners. Co-operation at domestic and European levels would be essential to provide effective legal support to those targeted by abusive lawsuits. This was underlined during the one-day workshop held in Pristina, bringing together young journalists, students of journalism and law, and media actors to strengthen understanding of European standards and practical protection mechanisms for media freedom.

The event explored how abusive lawsuits are used to intimidate journalists and silence public interest reporting, while also providing participants with tools to recognise, prevent and respond to such practices.

Through a combination of moderated discussions, interactive exercises and practical group work, participants reflected on daily basis challenges faced by journalists and media actors when confronted with legal pressure.

Participants also examined key indicators for identifying SLAPP cases, including typical red flags and patterns and worked in groups on practical scenarios to apply these criteria in concrete situations. The discussions highlighted the importance of early recognition of SLAPP characteristics and the need for coordinated responses involving journalists, media actors and future legal professionals.

The event concluded with reflections on the need to strengthen resilience within the media community and to continue promoting European standards that safeguard freedom of expression and protect journalists from undue legal pressure.

This activity was organised within the framework of the action “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media (PROFREX)”  which is implemented by the Division for Cooperation on Freedom of Expression of the Council of Europe, and is part of the joint European Union and the Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”

 

 

  European Court of Human Rights Standards on Transparency and Freedom of Expression in the Judicial System

Horizontal Facility III

The joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” (Horizontal Facility III) is a co-operation initiative, running from 2023 until 2026. The programme covers actions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye. It enables the Beneficiaries to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with European
standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process. 

The envelope of this facility amounts to ca. 41 million EUR (85% funded by the EU, 15% by the CoE).

Find out more about the Horizontal Facility III programme >>

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.