Author Rights Law Uninsistable in Kosovo

To implement the law, however, general tariff agreements have been signed between the Association of Early Rights Management of the Author and media representatives broadcasting music.

Director of the Office for the Rights of the Author and the Approximate Rights of the Ministry of Culture, Valon Kashtanjava, has said of Kosova Preress, that this agreement will benefit all the makers of music, composers and textwriters.

When we're at yourtube's work and how much singers are compensated for, it's good to say that this is pretty much an issue that belongs to those who hold their rights, whether they're singers or composers. Because it's not only singers, but it's not just singers who benefit from copyright law, there are composers and all the writers, so all the profits the singers consider to earn a little, then it should be highlighted how they manage their rights, including managing their rights in YouTube. They need to see who manages their rights, themselves or through companies that manage their rights”, he said.

According to him, the General Tarifat agreement represents an important step in implementing copyright law, as it influences measures to use musical creations properly.

This agreement will certainly affect the awareness of all the makers, singers, producers, and, as such, will influence them to take action so that their works can be used in the right form, but what this agreement will most affect is for creators to start receiving compensation for the public communication of their music on broadcasters, radios and televisions broadcast in the Republic of Kosovo<1>, Kashttva said.

While Florent Bosnjak, leader of the Association for Collective Rights Management, said Kosovo still does not have homes that deal with the right of publication.

Unfortunately, we still don't have houses that deal with the right of publication. At the start, a contract is signed, and it explains what right that song has, who holds the right to publish, so I guess that's why we still haven't had that kind of awareness. I think that with the implementation of the law it will gradually begin to create houses that will start dealing with the right of publication and then solve the problem of where it is published”, he said.

He added that something has been done in terms of legal exchange of songs, such as the “Premier” app that did the job.

There are apps on us, like "Premier," which makes the sale of music legally, that is, the idea of music being sold legally. There are other companies that sell music legally in Kosovo. There's companies and producers that do that, but there's a vast part that misuses it, that's not only in physical form and digital form on the Internet, but there's a procedure, a process that will take time. We also have the task force, which deals with the problems of digital piracy, which is informed of these troubles and obviously has to deal with digital piracy, which is highlighted in Kosovo”, he said.

And there are singers who say that even though the Scripture hath been, it hath not been observed.

Singer Beni Baksi in a promotion, for KosovaPress, has shown that the copyright law must be implemented.

The problem is to protect copyright. This is what's bad and what's not being applied because every country in the world first has to protect your rights as your own product, but the bad news is that it's not happening here. The law is actually but it is not being implemented”, he said.

According to singer Mentor Mripa, copyright has been better regulated in the 1990s, until it has suggested that copyright regulation should happen for all spheres, not just music.

I would say that then it was better regulated copyright, because you all know that one of the norms if we want to go and be part of the EU, it's the real regulation of copyright, that means complete regulation of copyright, not just in music, but in every realm of life”, he said.