Freedom House Moves Kosovo up - Bosnia, Macedonia Down

In the latest report by Freedom House on global political rights and civil liberties, Macedonia and Bosnia lost ground in the ratings index while Kosovo improved its standing.

Turning to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the report says its rating fell from 3 to 4 because the government had largely ignored a significant civic movement protesting against corruption and had "proved generally unresponsive to the population's concerns".

Freedom House rates countries from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free).

Macedonia's rating also declined from 3 to 4 due to serious shortcomings in the April 2015 general elections and a related legislative boycott by the opposition.

Kosovo showed an improvement as a result of the conduct of June 2014 general elections, which were considered "comparatively successful".

Albania showed no change and remains ranked partly free.

Other Balkan countries are ranked as free in terms of rights and freedoms.

A separate report specifically on Freedom of the Press is not yet published. In the last report, covering events up to the start of 2014, all Balkan countries were ranked partly free.

Of 195 countries assessed for 2014, 89 were rated as free. About 55 countries were rated partly free and 51 considered not free.

In Europe, the report noted Hungary and Turkey as countries where freedom is losing ground to authoritarian rulers.

Freedom House reported that freedom generally had declined around the world in 2014 for the ninth year.

"Acceptance of democracy as the world's dominant form of government?and of an international system built on democratic ideals?is under greater threat than at any other point in the last 25 years," Arch Puddington, vice president for research at Freedom House, said.