Deignive language to journalists, international organisations send letter to Osman Kurti

This deignive language is said to be organised by officials linked to the Vetevendosje Movement, the President's Office and other state institutions.

The latest “Days have been disturbed by the messages on social networks originating from politicians and officials who have served to promote the public against journalists. These include, for example, Facebook comments by spokesman and media advisers of the Office of Prime Minister and Vetevendosje, who, speaking on behalf of the parties they represent, understood that the media tried to overthrow and undermine the president through reporting. Also disturbing are the Facebook comments of President Pridon Sadriou's husband, who called journalists a “joint criminal enterprise”, a predisposed concept particularly in the Balkans”, said in their response.

According to them, meeting journalists in terms like “joint criminal enterprise” can affect journalists' physical security by denigrating the profession as well.

The “taken together, these comments have effectively resulted in a stream of cyber abuse by supporters of the Vetevendosje Movement, targeting journalists and critical and independent activists, especially women. Furthermore, especially when terms such as “joint criminal enterprise” are used, we are afraid such comments can negatively affect journalists' physical security by denigrating the profession and contributing to a hostile climate”, it is said in response.

In addition, it is said that following the media's public apology for this mistake, the officials' response has been unprofessed by making hostility towards the media.

The “Rast in question stems from an article published by an online media and reprinted by another on February 4th, concerning the fuel expenses of MPs. These publications included a mistake and were later changed, along with a public apology. It is important that all media respect professional standards and follow the Code of journalistic Ethics. However, we assess that the response to these mistakes by certain government and party officials has been unproportional and has brought unjustified hostility to the media”, said in response.

This strategy, which is being used to promote against the media, is further said to be dangerous to the physical security of journalists.

As a result of this denigration language that has been used against the media and journalists, E CPMF has called on President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti to stop such encouraging language to the media.

Moreover, the use of discrediting language is adjusted to a wider problem context in which individuals related to Vetevendosje try to undermine public confidence in the media. We are concerned that this public anti-media and independent activists' strategy is dangerous for journalists' physical security and has a thrilling effect that undermines democratic values. Especially in view of Kosovo's ambition to join the Council of Europe and the European Union, we believe it is of great importance that politicians, party representatives and public figures respect media freedom and help create a favourable environment for media freedom and journalists' safety.

Therefore, we call on the president and prime minister to ensure that such inflammatory language directed towards the media by their party camera will cease, now and in the future,” is said in response.