Council of Europe against package <x0anti-alle” in Albania

Human Rights Commissioner for the Council of Europe Dunja Mijatovic has criticised the “anti package -- reported” of the Albanian Government, which is scheduled to pass to Albania's Assembly tomorrow.

Mijatovic is deeply concerned about this package of the Government of Edi Rama and calls for urgent intervention to improve it.

“I am very concerned to learn that this week the Albanian Parliament continued with the review of two bills, known as “Pata anti-ex2>. These laws are urgently needed for improvement. Some provisions are not in line with international and European standards for human rights that advocate freedom of expression and freedom of media”, it says in response.

The commissioner considers it disturbing that websites can be blocked without court ruling, and this represents a strong blow to freedom of expression.

“I am particularly concerned that the disrepute competencies given to the regulatory bodies, the possibility of imposing excessive fines, and the deadlock of media websites without a judicial decision, as well as the presentation of the state media regulation on the internet can bring a strong blow to freedom of expression and media freedom in the country”, said in response.

Media self-regulation and an open internet consider important to the Council of Europe.

“Therefore, I call on members of Albania's Parliament to review the current drafts and make them in line with the European Court of Human Rights's judicial practice and standards of the Council of Europe”, the statement of Dunja Mijatovic concludes, the TC.