On World Press Freedom Day, journalists have expressed their complaints about the climate in which they practice their profession. They expressed concern about the level of media freedom and the increase in the number of attacks.
Marigona Brahimi has been working as a journalist for eight years.
When she talks about the difficulties she and journalists from other media outlets share during their work, she first lists the balance between telling the truth and fearing what might follow.
“The pressure that can come to journalists from outside politics, but sometimes even censorship from the editorial offices themselves, is a very big problem for practicing genuine and objective journalism even when you try to maintain a balance between accurate reporting and fear of the consequences that may come from expressing your free opinion. I believe that this is a very big challenge for journalists,” says journalist Brahimi.
On World Press Freedom Day, journalists also addressed a number of complaints at a conference organized by the Kosovo Journalists Association.
The president of this Association, Xhemajl Rexha, said that there is a deterioration in press freedom.
“The climate for being a journalist in Kosovo has unfortunately become more difficult, especially in the last two years. This is best confirmed by local and international reports, and recently by the ‘Reporters Without Borders’ report, which places our country in 99th place,” he said.
Lawyer Yll Zekaj expressed concern for the safety of journalists. He criticized the justice authorities for the slow handling of lawsuits filed by media workers.
“These issues must be addressed with priority, as the attack on journalists is not an attack on them as citizens, but as those performing their duties. When we talk about the safety of journalists, we are not only talking about physical safety, but also legal safety,” said Zekaj.
But, representatives of justice institutions said the opposite.
“No case is left unaddressed. Those responsible are sought,” said prosecutor Agron Bajrami.
“Journalists’ cases are a priority in the judicial system,” emphasized Judge Leotrim Gashi.
On World Press Freedom Day, there was a call to improve the environment for media and journalists.
The British Embassy in Kosovo, through a response, has requested that the new government, when formed, ensure the protection of media freedom.
“Kosovo’s new government must protect and uphold its democratic institutions, including ensuring a free and respectful environment for journalists to do their work, and working with media and civil society organizations in drafting a new law for the Independent Media Commission.”
The new law on the IMC, to which the Embassy referred, has been declared unconstitutional and has been cited in the report of “Reporters without Borders” as the reason for the regression that Kosovo has marked in the Media Freedom Index. Based on the report published the day before, Kosovo is the 99th country, falling by 24 positions.