The current government is not willing to ensure media freedom in Albania, resulting in criticism from major European institutions.
These were the words of Flutura Kusari, Legal Advisor at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) who gave a statement to Exit for World Press Freedom Day 2020.
The ECPMF is an international non-profit organisation that promotes and defends the right to a free media and freedom of expression, throughout Europe. It monitors press and media freedom violations, provides advocacy and practical help for journalists, and engages a range of diverse stakeholders across Europe.
When asked about the media situation in Albania, Kusari spoke of “deep concern” about its deterioration.
“As BIRN and Reporters Without Borders have found, most media outlets in Albania are owned by a handful of powerful families, while the rest is closely associated with businesses that operate in heavily regulated markets, mainly construction and real estate development, for-profit private higher education, banking or gambling.”
This, she said results in a high risk to plurality.
The responsibility of bettering the situation lies with the Albanian government, but the ECMPF believes that they are not only failing to do this, but they are not meeting positive obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.
“The responsibility to improve media freedom lies with the state authorities. Albania, as a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, has positive obligations under article 10 to ensure pluralism and a favourable environment for journalists. So far, we believe that Albania has failed to meet its positive obligations,” she said.
While they welcome the partial decriminalisation of defamation, there is still work to be done. The ECMPF has called on the government to decriminalise defamation entirely as it is no longer accepted under Council of Europe standards to criminally punish journalists for their work. This creates a “chilling effect” on them.
The only way the situation can improve is if there is political will, but the current government is not willing.
“Albanian journalists work in a dangerous environment, they are physically, economically and virtually threatened. This makes it impossible to do responsible journalism. The current situation can only be improved if there is political will. The current government is not willing to ensure media freedom and that’s why major European institutions criticise Albania,” Kusari said.
