Serbia was rated as 'partly free country' in a 'Global Survey of Media Independence' published by Freedom House ahead of the World Press Freedom Day marked on May 3.

The improvements in the Arab world were the most significant findings of this survey. The gains came on the heels of eight consecutive years of decline in the global average press freedom score, a phenomenon that has affected practically every region in the world. Out of the 197 countries and territories assessed during 2011, 66 were rated Free, 72 Partly Free, and 59 Not Free.

Serbia dropped by several notches from 72nd to 77th position on the list. It received the same ratings (35) as East Timor and Montenegro, so they occupy the positions from 75th to 77th.

The World Press Freedom Day was founded in order to raise awareness of the importance of press freedom - and to remind governments of their duty to respect it in theory and practice.

It was established in commemoration of the Declaration of Windhoek, a document that contains principles on the defense of freedom of the press, drawn up in 1991 during a meeting of African journalists organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).