An annual report on democracy in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, published on Tuesday by Freedom House, argues that Kosovo’s democracy shows an incremental improvement compared to past years.

According to the Nations in Transit 2016 published by the US-based organization, which lists Kosovo as a “semi-consolidated authoritarian regime,” the country shows an improvement in media independence, with the protection of journalistic sources in investigative cases, as well as “the flourishing” of online media. Another factor that has affected the country’s score was local democratic governance, which has improved with the functionalization of municipalities in northern Kosovo. The country’s current score is 5.07, with very little divergence witnessed in the past ten years.

Most Western Balkans countries have shown a decline in democratic practices, with only Albania and Croatia maintaining the same score in the Nations in Transit index.

“Kosovo continued its democratic consolidation at a slow pace in 2015, moving one step further in the process of European integration and continuing dialogue on normalization of relations with Serbia, but making little progress in strengthening its statehood,” the report informs.

Most categories in the Nations in Transit score remained unchanged, especially due to the political deadlock in 2014 during which political parties were unable to form a Parliament and a government for six months in a row. In 2015 the crisis continued, although, as the report informs, the highly unpopular government coalition did manage to push forward controversial policies and laws about the demarcation of the Kosovo-Montenegro border; the law for the ‘special’ war crimes court, and to reach four agreements with Serbia.

In response, opposition parties took to the streets and stalled parliamentary sessions by throwing tear gas in the Assembly chamber. The ruling coalition however continued to pass legislation in an alternate location during sessions which excluded opposition MPs, explains the report.

“The conduct of both government and opposition indicates the fragility of Kosovo’s process of democratic consolidation and the anti-democratic tendencies of some political actors,” says the report. Although there have been some positive developments, such as the arrest of several high-profile individuals, corruption “remains widespread.”

The Judicial Framework and Independence score remained the same and seems to be one of the country’s major problems. Regardless, there have been positive developments in this regard. One of the positive signs, according to the report, is the victory of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) in a legal battle against the Prime Minister’s Office for refusing Access to Public Documents.

The corruption score has also not changed, being consistent almost since 2007. Although a few high-profile arrests occurred, and corruption within the EU mission of rule of law (EULEX) was exposed by a journalist who did not reveal his sources, most Kosovo citizens continue to perceive the level of corruption “as high and very problematic.”