The World Press Freedom Day was marked in Kosovo with an incredible drop of 19 places in the most famous media freedom index. Now, Kosovo ranks 75th.
The top representatives of the government, who previously often boasted about the ranking of Kosovo on the list of Reporters without Borders, have only reacted through the spokespersons, who placed the blame on this drop on the incidents in the north of Kosovo and the issue of registration of Klan Kosovo.
The opposition, on the other hand, pointed a finger at the Kurti government as the main culprit.
„In last years, journalists have been attacked by state officials as they have never been before,“ reads one of the reactions.
„Government is not the problem“
Commenting on the Reporters Without Borders report, the spokesperson of the Kosovo government, Perparim Kryeziu, said that he sees no problem in the way the government treats the media.
In a Facebook post, he first praised the Kosovo government for „significant progress“ in the past, noting that this year’s ranking „should not discourage us, because it was not an easy year.“
According to him, the year was not easy „especially in terms of security, considering the events in the north“.
While proceeding to compare the new report with last year’s, he explained that there are two issues that have influenced the 19-place decline.
„First, attacks on journalists by criminal groups of parallel structures of Serbia in four municipalities in the north in the period from May to July 2023, which are described in the report in neutral language: ‘attacks on journalists intensified during political tensions between Pristina and Belgrade.'“
He argued that the Kosovo police in the north did „everything they could to ensure safety for everyone“, but also that the situation „was even dangerous for the Kosovo police members as well“.
„One year later, there is more security for media coverage from the field than there was in the past. This is not only the success of the security institutions, but also of the journalists and the media, who revealed the truth about the events of May and June with their brave reports,“ Kryeziu alleged.
The second reason, according to the government spokesperson, is related to the events concerning the registration of Klan Kosova television.
„As for the case of Klan Kosova sh.p.k., a violation of the law was determined. After the public reporting, Klan Kosova sh.p.k. improved the data in the registration, thereby admitting that a violation actually occurred during the first registration,“ he assessed.
A member of the Self-Determination media office, Arlind Manxhuka, sent similar messages, Gazeta Express reports.
„The Reporters without Borders report does not spark joy, but the media in Kosovo are free,“ he claims, adding that the decline in the ranking „has nothing to do with the pressures and restrictions of the government.“
Moreover, he also claimed that the issue of registration of Klan Kosova and the situation in the north of Kosovo led to the drop in the rankings:
„The attacks journalists in the north of the country at a time when criminal gangs organized by Belgrade did not allow constitutionality and legality to prevail there, physically attacking anyone who reported the truth.“
Kurti and Osmani on disinformation
While the spokespersons reacted, the leaders of the highest institutions remained quiet.
Albin Kurti reacted on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, saying that he is willing to tackle the problems of the media.
“On this World Press Freedom Day, we want to acknowledge the effort it takes to shine a light on the truth in a time of great and weaponized disinformation. Our government is open and willing to address the concerns of the media and work towards a more transparent and pluralistic landscape,” he said on X.
The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, stressed the importance of the fight against fake news and disinformation, without mentioning the Reporters Without Borders report.
On the other hand, she said that press freedom is a basic human right and key element for democracy and truth.
„On World Press Freedom Day, we support and encourage journalists and reaffirm our commitment to protect their right to report without fear or censorship, and to protect their safety when reporting from places with lack of security.“
She also criticized official Belgrade.
„As it was proven after the aggression of Serbia on September 24, 2023 and the days that followed, the role and reporting of the media was crucial for the Kosovo institutions to prove to the world the truth about that attack. In a period of information overload and when peace and stability in the world and our region are threatened, the fight against fake news and disinformation has never been more important,“ she wrote.
Gervalla and genocide
During that time, Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, met with reporters and videographers Julius Strauss and Vaughan Smith, who reported from Kosovo in 1999.
„Julius Strauss, Von Smith and other reporters and videographers managed to inform the world about the crimes and Serbian genocide in Kosovo with their recordings and reports, despite the dangers. Their pictures and interviews quickly flooded the world showing the horror that the citizens of Kosovo are experiencing. Their pictures raised international awareness and made the world aware of how urgent it was to intervene to stop the genocide in Kosovo.“
The opposition
Unlike the government spokesperson, the opposition pointed a finger at Kurti’s government as the main culprit for Kosovo’s new ranking.
With a reminder of the authorities’ accusations against the media – that they write false reports on corrupt affairs, the former Kosovo Minister of Health, Armend Zemaj, says that „Kosovo received another blow today with the international report of Reporters without Borders“.
He added that the government in Kosovo is „incompetent“ and that Self-Determination is not being managed well.
The former Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, also criticized the Kosovo government, alleging that „freedom of expression bothers the rulers.“
He claimed that the government is carrying out „orchestrated attacks on the media“, with tendencies „to control them“.
Haradinaj also expressed concern about the „alarming decline in press freedom“.
„The protection of journalists and free media is among the non-negotiable principles and it is an institutional and social obligation to preserve and improve this segment of our freedom! Today, on World Press Freedom Day, we are thinking about the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of the media,“ concluded the leader of the opposition AAK party.
„We stand with the media, in defense and respect for freedom of speech,“ he concluded.
The mayor of South Mitrovica also shared his concerns over the fact that World Press Freed
om Day is being celebrated “with a deteriorating situation.“
„Journalists, media workers, during these years, like never before, were attacked by state officials and were exposed to threats and constant pressures in the performance of their duties in the service of citizens,“ he said.
He remarked that free media is a pillar of democracy.
„We must advocate to protect them and provide a more suitable environement, so that all journalists can do their work, which is a great responsibility and importance,“ he specified.
Collaborators or competitors?
Some analysts from Kosovo also reacted to the news of Kosovo’s decline in the press freedom index. One of them is Arbnor Sadiku, who also blamed the Kosovo government for the regressing in terms of media freedom in Kosovo.
In his words, Pristina made „wrong tactical moves“, and it does not perceive the media as collaborators, but as competitors.
„The government is to blame for this decline because it made some wrong tactical moves because it did not cooperate with the media, but perceived them as competitors.
Cooperation with the media serves the government,“ underlined this analyst.
He described as alarming the fact that ministers do not make guest appearances on most televisions.
Sadiku emphasized that „Kurti should be more cooperative and present in the media“ if he wins a second mandate.
„We are not surprised“
The Association of Journalists of Kosovo is also critical, which together with the OSCE mission organized a conference on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day.
The chairman of the association, Xhemajl Rexha, expressed concern about the „dramatic deterioration of the situation“.
„This ranking should not be a surprise for the journalistic and media community in Kosovo because of what we have experienced in the last year, but it should raise an alarm for those who have influenced this decline… and here I am mostly talking about the institutions of Kosovo, the Government Kosovo,“ said Rexha.
The head of the OSCE mission in Kosovo, Michael Davenport, also participated in the conference.
Addressing the decline of Kosovo on Reporters Without Borders’ list, Davenport said that „there is no doubt that in the last 12 months we have had an increase in violence against journalists.“
„Today is a day to celebrate the vital role of the media in every democracy, to inform the public and hold the government to account…Also, it is not bad to remember today that journalists should feel good. First, they must feel safe and free, and not be afraid of threats and blackmail…“ he said.
Previously, the head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog pointed out the key role of free and independent media in enabling the public to make informed decisions and calling the government to account.
At the same time, in a post on the „X“ social network, he expressed concern about the „rising number of physical attacks, threats, public smear campaigns and hate speech directed towards journalists, especially during the 2023 reporting from the north of Kosovo.”
During the day, the ambassadors of Germany and the US in Kosovo also sent messages in a similar tone.
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