Key local and international actors met in Sarajevo on 11 and 12 December to continue working on creating an enabling environment for journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina to do their jobs safely, and that free expression is protected for everyone.

The 12^th meeting of the Working Group on monitoring and reporting on freedom of expression and freedom of information in Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of a bigger ongoing effort, which started last September in Mostar, to develop a strategic roadmap with stronger protections for journalists and media workers using Council of Europe standards as a guide.

Participants agreed that defending free speech and keeping journalists safe is essential for a healthy, democratic society. These goals match wider European efforts pushed by the Council of Europe in the form of the proposed New Democratic Pact for Europe, calling upon countries to do more for democracy, human rights, and open discussion.

The meeting in Sarajevo marked the end of a four-year Council of Europe project, implemented under the 2022-2025 Action Plan, to boost free speech and access to information in the country. The project's partners took the opportunity to look back at the progress made and talked about directions for future co-operation - including safety of journalists, access to information, artificial intelligence, and fighting misinformation.

The Working Group is supported as part of the project “Enhancing Institutional Capacities on Freedom of Expression and Information (EFEx) in Bosnia and Herzegovina,“  funded under the Council of Europe's Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025 through the voluntary contribution of Sweden via the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).