UPDATE (03.05.2017): The government withdraw the draft law on criminalisation of defamation.  The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) backs its affiliate, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), in opposing the draft law prepared by the Ministry of Justice aiming to criminalise defamation of the President and Kosovo state symbols. The amendments to Kosovo Criminal Code foresees that anyone who insults or expresses with ill intention contempt for the Republic of Kosovo, for its constitutional order or its anthem, is punishable up to three years of prison. In addition, the defamation of constitutional body, including the President, the Parliament, the…

Shkelqim Hysenaj, the president of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), and researcher Petrit Collaku met on Wednesday 8 March with Aleksander Lumezi, the Kosovo’s State prosecutor, to discuss better protection for the journalists in the country. During the discussion, the AJK president shared his concerns regarding the inefficient justice system and the unsafe environment Kosovo represents for journalists. Shkelqim Hysenaj also presented to the state prosecutor the recommendations of the AJK report “The indicators of the level of media and journalists safety” published in December 2016. It recommends to improve the effectiveness of the justice system when dealing…

The Trade Union of RTK has been actively discussing the rights of workers during the meetings with Caucus Groups in Kosovo Assembly and Speaker of the Assembly due to the RTK law being in the process of amending. The process that has been criticised by the EU office in Kosovo for not being transparent enough. However, General Director of RTK Mentor Shala wasn’t pleased with the Trade Union’s activity, in his recent Facebook post (08.02.2017) he called the Union “political ‘bacteria’ within RTK”. Furthermore Mentor Shala insulted workers and members of the Trade Union by saying that “if it wasn’t…

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, is encouraging Kosovo authorities to safeguard media freedom in the country following his four-day mission to Kosovo. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Journalist’s Association of Kosovo (AGK) welcome the preliminary conclusions. In his report, the Commissioner recommends to strengthen Kosovo public service media, urging “the authorities to establish a sustainable, appropriate and transparent funding of the public service broadcasting organisation and to secure its editorial independence and institutional autonomy.” The Law on the Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK), the public service broadcaster, is currently being amended by the…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is joining its affiliate, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), to denounce the ban on media to cover the initial hearing of the so-called “Land Fraud” case involving senior politicans and judges. In a press release, AJK expressed its disagreement with the reasoning of the president of this panel, Arcadius Sedek, who justified the ban by the technical nature of the hearing. “We would like to draw attention to the judge that this session is of public interest” one can read in AJK press release. This is the third court case where Kosovo courts decide to ban…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ), joined their affiliate, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK), in condemning an explosive attack at the home of the head of Kosovo’s public broadcaster RTK on 28 August, the second such attack in a week. Reports said that an unknown attacker threw an explosive device at the house of Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK)’s General Director, Mentor Shala, late Sunday in the capital, Pristina. Police told media that the device, which caused no casualties, was likely a hand grenade that was thrown in to the backyard while the entire family was…

The European and International Federation of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ) stand in solidarity with their affiliate the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) after the attack targeting at the public broadcaster Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) in Pristina. On Monday 22 August, a hand grenade was thrown into the yard of the main building, close to the transmission antennas. Some journalists were working inside the building at the time of the explosion but no injuries were reported. The attackers are currently unknown. “We ask the Kosovo Police and other competent authorities to urgently investigate the case in order to identify the perpetrators”, said Shkelqim Hysenaj, President…

This report arises from a visit to Prishtina and covers a series of interviews and meetings with Kosovo media leaders and regulatory bodies to develop draft guidelines for ethical audits and good governance at media enterprise level. In line with the working programme for 2016 the EJN has begun to prepare materials to perform internal audits (these are attached). The initial material has been circulated to local media selected for co-operation: Koha Ditore, Zëri, Insider Online Agency, Kosovo 2.0 and Radio Television Kosova. The meetings also examined the current media situation and the major challenges for ethical practice and good…

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo, Metohija (DNKiM) and the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS, member of the European Federation of Journalists) support the work of the United Nations’ Human Rights Advisory Panel in Pristina and request from UNMIK, EULEX and the Pristina institutions to comply with the recommendations of the Panel, conduct investigations of the murdered and missing persons, take the perpetrators to justice and fairly compensate families of the victims. DNKiM and UNS would like to draw attention that omissions in the police and judicial work of UNMIK and drastic violations of the European Convention on Human Rights…