Over the past few years, Azerbaijan has embarked on an ambitious journey to fundamentally reshape its media landscape, moving toward a framework that emphasizes professional integrity and institutional resilience. During the recent 4th Shusha Global Media Forum, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department, underscored that these sweeping reforms are not merely cosmetic. Instead, they are deeply rooted in a desire to elevate the standards of journalism across the nation. By focusing on the core pillars of ethical reporting, media literacy, and the institutional capacity to thrive in a digital-first era, the government…

The landscape of the Western Balkans this July is poised to be a volatile environment where historical trauma, seasonal trends, and political maneuvering converge. As the region moves through the summer months, information manipulation will likely intensify, driven by both domestic actors looking to consolidate power and external forces eager to exploit social divisions. The central challenge remains the erosion of trust in democratic institutions, as the debate over European integration often shifts from a roadmap for progress into a weaponized political narrative, framing EU standards as either essential reforms or evidence of intrusive foreign overreach. The weight of collective…