Voice dismissed 20 workers, AGK reacts

The Kosovo Journalists' Association voices concern about the way more than 20 colleagues have been working on Gazeta Zeri for years.

They were announced to cut off the contract, via an e-mail from the director of this medium, Shpend Dobranja, without being respected for the timetable set with the Labour Law in case the work relationship was cut off.

The announcement rule was not respected 15 days before the departure, as we received news on March 31st, and some others on April 1, while they were in their workplace. Even more serious is the fact that two journalists are pregnant, which is a violation of the law. The” says it's about our colleagues' concern, directed at AGK.

In his e-mail to workers, Dobranja has justified the decision of leaving staff on the grounds that over the past few months, the Voice newspaper has experienced financial difficulties due to the decline in revenues from marketing and the sale of the newspaper.

The AGK considers that their way out of work is a serious violation of workers' rights and at the same time burdens the environment in which journalists in Kosovo work.

The AGK will seek answers from Gazeta Director Voice about the legal procedures followed in this case and ask the Labour Inspectorate to consider cases in the shortest of time.

We will follow these cases closely and announce all local and international mechanisms about this action, which according to the AGK is arbitrary and totally unacceptable.

AGK once again appeals to media leaders not to do such legal offenses and to treat our colleagues with dignity, considering that they are almost on the front line along this pandemic, even at their own risk. Regarding this situation, AGK today, for the third time, has asked for clarification from the Ministry of Finance and Transfers whether our colleagues will be assisted and what will be the form of their involvement in the Government's Fiscal Pack.