State Department: No significant changes in the human rights situation, the government has taken steps against officials who violated human rights

Skopje – There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in North Macedonia during the year. Significant issues related to human rights included reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including violence and threats of violence against journalists. The government took significant steps to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses, according to the U.S. State Department’s Human Rights Report for 2024.

Regarding media freedom, the report states that the Constitution provides for freedom of expression, including for journalists and other media, and that the government generally respected this right.

-According to media and civil society organizations, freedom of expression was undermined by lawsuits against journalists, inappropriate behavior by public officials in their interactions with journalists, excessive pressure on journalists investigating corruption, disinformation, hate speech online and on social media, and self-censorship, the report states.

The report mentions the adoption of amendments to the Law on Audio-Visual Media Services to allow advertising for campaigns of “high public interest” funded by the government through commercial broadcasters and adds that independent media associations expressed concern regarding the amendments and criticized the law as a return to widespread corruption in the media and clientelism.

-Violence and threats of violence against journalists were a significant human rights issue. The Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) reported multiple incidents of violence and harassment against journalists, the report states, adding that AJM noted an increase in violence and harassment of female journalists.

According to AJM and other media organizations, the report continues, editorial independence of the press faced challenges, while “Reporters Without Borders” noted in its annual report from March that due to strong political polarization, the media were under pressure from authorities, politicians, and businessmen at both national and local levels.

The report claims that the two largest political parties created parallel media systems through which they exerted their political and economic influence. “Reporters Without Borders” noted that the public broadcasting service lacked editorial and financial independence. The report notes that online media, although benefiting from greater freedom of expression, faced digital attacks and attempts to discredit journalists. (August 13, 2025)

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