Berat Buzhala, journalist and founder of the portal Nacionale, has reported receiving death threats on social media.
The message, sent from a Facebook account under the name „Valon Karanezi,“ read:
„If I ever see you, son of a Shkija (a derogatory term for a Serbian woman), I give you my Albanian word, I won’t stop until I kill you and others like you. Your days are numbered, not just by me but by the people of Kosovo.“
The message was accompanied by emojis and the flags of Kosovo and Albania.
Buzhala publicly shared a screenshot of the threat, stating:
„Good morning. These are the consequences of the Prime Minister’s false accusations against journalists. Someone has started believing them.“
In his post, Buzhala tagged the Kosovo Police, Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu, and Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla.
The Facebook account responsible for the threats has since been deactivated.
Journalist Association Condemns Threats
The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) expressed alarm at the death threat, calling for swift action by the police.
„This is a very serious threat that endangers Buzhala’s safety and the media he works with,“ AGK said, urging the authorities to investigate and hold the perpetrator accountable.
They also expressed concern over the increasing hate speech and attacks on journalists, often originating from government officials and ruling party members.
The AGK further called on Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his party officials to cease what they described as „lynch speech“ targeting journalists.
Media Expert Highlights Double Standards
Flutura Kusari, a media expert, criticized the lack of immediate action, pointing out the disparity in how threats against politicians and journalists are handled.
„If someone had threatened the Prime Minister, Justice Minister, or Interior Minister, they would already be in custody, likely with enhanced security measures. However, threats against journalists remain unpunished, sending a clear message: attack journalists, because they are not afraid of the law, as they are perceived to serve Serbia,“ Kusari said.
She also noted that such attacks contribute to Kosovo’s recent decline of 19 places in media freedom rankings.
Government Accusations of Media Bias
Prime Minister Kurti recently accused certain media outlets of reportedly participating in a „hybrid war“ against Kosovo. During a Friday address, he urged citizens to reject information from specific portals and follow official announcements.
Repeated Harassment
Buzhala, who has long been critical of the government, has faced repeated harassment, which he attributes to orchestrated campaigns by Kurti’s ruling party, Vetëvendosje.
Buzhala has previously accused Vetëvendosje of employing „troll armies“ to silence dissent.
„Kurti speaks of democracy, but he shuts down TV stations and uses a troll army to eliminate political opponents,“ he said in 2022.
After publishing alleged recordings of conversations between Vetëvendosje and the Serbian List, as well as with Milan Radoičić himself, he claims to have become a target of Kurti’s party.
This summer was also marked by controversy when RTK reported a story from the portal Slobodna Bosna, which alleged that the Serbian president exerted control over Albanian-language portals Periskopi and Nacionale— the latter edited by Buzhala.
Vetëvendosje officials quickly shared their support of the story before media associations, experts, and opposition figures raised concerns, labeling it a brutal campaign against media freedom and journalist safety.
As a result, the acting Director-General of RTK, Zana Spahiu, resigned after serving less than a month in the role. The then-head of news, Jeton Musliu, also stepped down, admitting he had been working under pressure.
Regarding the derogatory term for a Serbian woman used in the latest hateful message targeting Buzhala and others, there have been no condemnations or reactions so far.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
