What is the principle, are you eating it? Kosovo journalists vote their colleague should hang

Lieburn Aliu last night insulted and indirectly threatened Klan Kosovo Director Baton Hadziun after his statement that Albin Kurti had met with President Thaci twice again after the four-minute meeting they had at the presidency.

“E has lost Baton way to the yard. The terminal trauma was caused by Albin. His recent fall in connection with Albin's supposedly meeting with Hashimi shows where the devalv is at, even as a spy. For this tired lie, Stanishiqi kicked off his office. March bitango” wrote Mr. Ali on his Facebook.

However, the association of journalists who receive funds to protect Kosovo journalists, The AGK (Kosovo Journalists' Association) will not react to the case.

AGK head Gentiana Begoli-Pustina told her Periscope that they have discussed the issue and, imagine, have held a vote within board members.

“Bord by majority of votes has decided against reaction,” said Mrs. Begoli Pustina.

What do we learn from what AGK head said?

That this association does not respond on the basis of principles for any occasion, but on the basis of voting. This constitutes a serious violation of freedom of expression, since it leaves room for the board's selective attitudes towards journalists and eventual threats.

This association may not support Mr. Haxhiu, may not personally like Mr. Haxhiu, but the response to cases of insults and threats is a duty in order to preserve the journalistic environment and freedom of expression in our country.

It is completely unprofessive and unlogical that reactions are made on the basis of voting, directly involving private attitudes and the political attitudes of board members.

One day these members can find themselves voting even if such journalism is to be executed. Or, in order to soften it, whether they will respond to the imprisonment or execution of a journalist. All of this, depending on their personal and political conviction about journalism.

However, one thing is clear: the principle for their reaction is, not the principle, but the vote. The vote [the democracy] differs from principle, one thing that can be learned if these board members can read the founding text for journalism, “Republic” of Greek philosopher Plato, or simply the part about justice between Thrace and Socrates.

We remind them that Periscope has also been faced in recent years with ongoing attacks by a host of organised interest groups, but in no case did the AGK decide to protect journalists from our media.

Periscope had experienced attacks by all political parties in the country, with a large increase of them in particular from Vetevendosje in recent months, and had also been orchestrated by the fan group “Plisat”, and by the other large group of fans “Red-Zi-Zi”.

Our portal was also attacked by Xhemajl Rexha, moderator of KTV's interactive show about a political article, and there was no single reaction after that, despite the explosive insult.

This association needs to understand one basic thing: Principles are universal and nonpartisan, they either apply to or do not apply to anyone. The selective approach must be completed in order to preserve freedom of expression and the integrity of journalists.

Periscop's message to this association is very clear: Read from foreign media about how freedom of speech and the integrity of journalists are protected. But, of course, to do so, there was a first - foundation conversion of human freedoms and rights.