2025 Candidate for SC Member: Xhemajl Rexha
Who I am
I am a journalist based in Prishtina, Kosovo, and have been working as a political reporter for 20 years. I spent 15 years at the national private television station Kohavision, where I created and hosted the nightly current affairs show Interaktiv, and served as Deputy Editor-in-Chief, and later for two years as Editor-in-Chief of the station.
From mid-2020 to the end of 2022, I worked at the private TV station Kanal10 in similar roles. I was first elected Chairperson of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo in July 2021 and re-elected for a second term in July 2024.
Together with our Board, and with support from local and international partners, we work to promote media freedom and journalist safety, strengthen journalists’ professional capacities, and advocate for better working conditions in newsrooms.
Most recently, the Constitutional Court of Kosovo overturned the Law on the Independent Media Commission following three years of AJK’s efforts against it—an initiative widely seen as an attempt by the Kosovo Government to control online media.
Why I am standing
I am standing as a candidate to work together in solidarity with colleagues across Europe to strengthen media freedom and freedom of speech, as I do in Kosovo with journalists from Albanian, Serbian, Bosniak, Turkish, Roma and other communities.
I am a firm believer in cross-continental solidarity and support among journalists in our shared efforts to hold those in power accountable for their decisions. I thrive in multilingual and multi-ethnic environments and believe I can contribute valuable experience from an often-troubled region.
I am especially committed to being a voice for freelance journalists and working to improve their position within the sector—particularly in smaller regions where they struggle to find dignified work and are often underpaid.
We take great pride in hosting 21 Ukrainian and 5 Afghan journalists in Kosovo as part of the “Journalist in Residence” program—an expression of our commitment to supporting and standing in solidarity with colleagues from war- or conflict-affected areas.
My priorities for the EFJ
I would like to contribute to an even more vocal campaign highlighting the growing risks journalists face in different parts of Europe because of their work, with a focus on the areas most affected by authoritarian tendencies targeting the media.
The safety of journalists is of the utmost importance. I would work with the Steering Committee and the entire EJF to help push for legislative changes in countries where they are needed, and to provide assistance and equipment in areas experiencing riots and ongoing conflict.
Having supported my colleagues at AJK in creating the Kosovo Network of Women Journalists, I consider myself an ally of the cause of equal representation of women in the media, including in leadership positions.
I would also like to bring greater attention to the mental health of media professionals. Working in challenging circumstances takes its toll, and journalists should have free access to mental health services.
