News
Troll of the Month: High-level officials Edi Rama and Erion Veliaj
The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate speech based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkans region. On February 11, 2025, Prime Minister Edi Rama accused …
Monthly Monitoring Highlights January: Gender-based violence, media targeting, ethnic discrimination, homophobia and anti-LGBTIQ+ narratives alongside genocide denial
During January, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fueled by ethnic hate, anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric, gender-based violence, and genocide denial alongside harmful media targeting and reporting. Gender-based violence in Albania The reality show Big Brother VIP Albania has become a highly influential program in Albania, shaping public opinion and societal …
CIN-CG: MEDIA REPORTING ON THE CETINJE TRAGEDY
Rubbing Salt in the Wound Following the mass murder in Cetinje this January, several Montenegrin online media outlets have published articles regarding the case which spread hate speech, discrimination, and disinformation, while regional tabloid media often violated ethical standards. Most Montenegrin media reported on the tragedy in Cetinje professionally, with some even disabling comments under …
Troll of the Month: Serbian Tabloids
The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkans region. Three months ago, a concrete canopy collapsed at the main …
Monthly Monitoring Highlights December: Hatred towards journalists, ethnic hatred, anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric, the politicisation of sexual harassment cases alongside sexism and hateful targeting
During December, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fuelled by hatred towards journalists, anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric, sexism and ethnic hatred. Hatred towards journalists in Kosovo The founder of the online portal “Nacionale,” Berat Buzhala, received a death threat on his Facebook profile with the account name “Valon Karanezi.” “If I …
Troll of the Year 2024: Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama
The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spread hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion or other diversity categories, across the Western Balkan region. In December, RDN combined votes from the Western Balkan countries with input from a public voting process to select the Troll …
TROLL OF THE MONTH: Media outlet “Oslobođenje”
The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkans region In Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, another femicide took place. A …
Monthly Monitoring Highlights November: anti-LGBTIQ+ narratives, ethnic and religious discrimination alongside sexism, and attacks against journalists
During November, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fueled by anti-LGBTIQ+ narratives, ethnic and religious discrimination alongside sexism, and attacks against journalists. Anti-LGBTIQ+ sentiments in North Macedonia At an event organised by the Youth Education Forum (YEF), the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) and the National Student Body (NSB), …
TROLL OF THE MONTH: Zlatan Begić, a Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Tuzla
Zlatan Begić, a Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Tuzla and a representative in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or …