A day after local elections were held, Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, called on the competent authorities to investigate exit poll reports for South Mitrovica, after three television stations had published polls forecasting unexpected outcomes that indirectly suggested a possible loss for Vetëvendosje. Flutura Kusari, legal adviser at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, urged the authorities not to act on Kurti’s call — in her words, “to stay away from that topic.” The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) also reacted with concern, describing Kurti’s remarks as direct pressure on the media and a potentially dangerous precedent for freedom of expression and independent reporting.
Kurti alleged that the exit polls reportedly showed a difference of more than 16% between different organizations for the same municipality. Moreover, he claimed that false news about the winner had been published — even before the polling stations closed.
He assessed that this was not an ordinary mistake, but rather a deliberate intervention and a conscious manipulation of the electoral process.
“Stay Away From That Topic”
Flutura Kusari publicly urged authorities to “stay away” from the idea of probing exit poll reports or the companies conducting them.
While acknowledging that the polls had produced inaccurate results, Kusari said that any consequences should come through loss of credibility, not criminal investigations.
“Prime Minister Kurti reportedly called on judicial authorities to investigate the reports—exit polls—and indirectly the media, claiming interference in the electoral process. This is not true. The electoral process was already over when the exit polls were published,” she said.
Kusari further warned that the Independent Media Commission (IMC) appeared to be “rubbing its hands,” suggesting it might respond to Kurti’s remarks by intervening.
“Once again, I urge both the IMC and judicial authorities to stay away from this topic. No investigation should be launched,” she said, adding that “the mentality of Albin Kurti, LVV, and those around him—to use criminal law to punish anyone who says something they don’t like—is alarming, but it will ultimately fail.”
AGK: Kurti’s Remarks a Direct Pressure on the Media
The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) also reacted with concern, describing Kurti’s statement as “direct pressure on the media” and a potential threat to freedom of expression and independent reporting.
AGK emphasized that all Kosovo media had fully complied with the Law on Elections and IMC regulations, noting that no exit polls were published before 7 p.m.—the official closing time of polling stations.
“Accordingly, there was no media interference in the electoral process. AGK views Kurti’s calls for investigations following the publication of these exit polls as a dangerous precedent and an open attack on media freedom,” the association said in a statement.
The group reminded that exit polls are a standard element of election coverage worldwide, even if they occasionally prove inaccurate.
“As seen in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections, exit polls can sometimes fail, but they remain a legitimate journalistic tool for informing the public about electoral trends,” AGK noted.
The association concluded by calling on Prime Minister Kurti and his Vetëvendosje party to refrain from exerting political pressure on the media during election reporting.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
