Date: 10 January 2025
Dear Prime Minister Albin Kurti,
We, the undersigned media freedom and journalists’ organisations, are deeply concerned about the recent decision by your political party to boycott three major television channels – T7, TV Dukagjini, and Klan Kosova – during the upcoming election period. We understand that no formal justification was provided to these channels for this decision.
T7’s Director Leonard Kerquki explained the decision saying: “Officials from Vetëvendosje informed me that they will not participate in T7 TV programs during the election campaign. They did not provide any convincing justification for this decision, leading me to believe this is an attempt to avoid public accountability.”
TV Dukagjini’s Ermal Panduri added: “Officials from Vetëvendosje informed me that they will not participate in TV Dukagjin during the election campaign. Their justification for this decision during the meeting was unclear, and we have requested further clarification. For us, this reflects the ruling party’s fear of facing questions from journalists and political commentators in the studio.”
These and the examples below indicate a worrying pattern of declining media freedom.
Over the past four years, as MFRR closely monitored media freedom developments we have witnessed a concerning decline in media freedom in Kosovo. In 2022, partners of the Council of Europe’s Platform on Safety of Journalists visited Kosovo to assess the state of media freedom and protection for journalists in the country. While some progress was noted, the mission concluded that “toxic rhetoric and smear campaigns against the media, underfunding of the public broadcaster and lack of transparency risk undermining the progress.”
According to data from the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, incidents of attacks and intimidation against journalists have more than doubled – from approximately 24 cases in 2024 to 53 in 2023. Many of these incidents involve verbal attacks from members of your party, who have labelled journalists as “Serbian spies” or collaborators and accused them of being aligned with Serbian interests.
In 2024, the Kosovo Parliament passed a new media law that failed to incorporate critical recommendations from the Council of Europe, the European Commission, and civil society. This law is now pending review by the Constitutional Court. Other alarming developments include a decline in transparency, frequent denial of access to information, and increased political interference in the editorial policies of public broadcasters. These actions have contributed to Kosovo’s 19-place drop in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index and have drawn widespread criticism from international bodies, including the European Commission Annual Report 2024 alleging attempts by the government to control the media.
Kosovo urgently needs measures to protect media freedom, promote transparency, and ensure the accountability of public officials. The public, particularly during election campaigns, has a fundamental right to access diverse information, scrutinize political promises, and hold politicians accountable.
By boycotting mainstream TV channels, the public’s right to information and the essential role of journalists in promoting transparency and accountability is undermined.
Therefore, we call on you to immediately reverse the decision to boycott these media outlets and ensure that Vetevendosje provides equal access to public information for these media. All journalists should be able to report freely and fairly on the election period.
The protection of media freedoms and the public’s right to an informed, democratic process must be prioritised.
Sincerely,
European Centre for Press and Media Freedoms (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
International Press Institute (IPI)
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
SafeJournalists Network
Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Association of Journalists of Macedonia
BH Journalists Association
Croatian Journalists’ Association
Independent Journalists Association of Serbia
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro
SCiDEV Albania
