Although the situation with press freedom in Europe is the best across the world, it is still dangerous to be a journalist in Europe and even more dangerous to be one in the Balkans, head of the EU/Balkans desk at the Reporters without Borders organisation Pavol Szalai has warned.

Speaking to N1, Szalai said the problems with press freedom in the Balkans deteriorated during the pandemic with physical violence against journalists being the most serious among all those problems.

Among other cases, he mentioned the one of Bosnian journalist and human rights activist Nidzara Ahmetasevic, who was briefly detained by the police in March this year in what was assessed as “violent arrest”, which sparked condemnations of some activists, officials and international organisations.

Szalai said this journalist, who focuses on migration issues, was already arrested in the past arbitrarily and was a victim of online trolling.

“This is very serious and she has to be protected, not harassed by the police,” he added.

Watch the entire interview in the video.