Gutierrez urges cancellation of the process: LDK manipulated selection of RTK Board members

“RTK. It seems clear to me that there have been political manipulations, especially from the opposition LDK, for the unjust discreditment of the designated candidates. The LDK would do better to protect public interest than its party interests”, he has declared.

Last week, LDK's two deputies, Armend Zemaj and Agim Veliu, voted candidates Besnik Boletini, currently chairman of the board and Arta Berisha deputy chairman. While some of the other candidates score 100 points, they offer no excuses. Moreover, they have been asked additional questions that have not been asked to other candidates.

In this regard, the FOL Movement, which has monitored the process, has reacted.

This organisation considers the interview process to have been unfair, nontransparent and flagrant violation of the principle of meritocracy.

“FOL estimates that the candidate assessment process did not have equal treatment of all candidates during the interview. Candidates have not been asked the same questions during the interview, which would allow the objective assessment of all candidates. The current members of the RTK board were asked additional questions, which, according to our assessment, were biased questions”, said in the FOL response.

Given that the process has not gone well, the FOL has requested rerun of the competition.

The annulment of the process is also seeking Ricardo Gutierrez, who said there are doubts even about the most favoured candidate of most political parties, Mehmet Calis. According to him, this person publicly supports the ruling party and the prime minister.

I have some doubts about even the most favoured candidate by most political parties, Mehmet Calis, who is a person who publicly supports the ruling party and the prime minister of Kosovo. His proposal to create a state news agency within the public broadcaster is a dangerous project. Public television is for all citizens, not the state. I think that a candidate with such plans should not become a member of the RTK board”, he said further.

He has asked Prime Minister Albin Kurti to cancel the current process and ensure that persons like Calis or others related to VV stay away from the RTK board.

“I call on Vetevendosje Movement and Prime Minister Albin Kurti to cancel the current process of selecting board members and to ensure that individuals like Mr. Kalis or others who are related to the ruling party to be kept away from the RTK board. I remind Mr. Kurti that the good work done by his party in choosing the board of public broadcasters two years ago was seriously compromised when public television director Riley Gervalla, a person close to Vetevendosje Movement. Public authorities in Kosovo should avoid further politicisation of RTK. In the best interest of Kosovo citizens”, he said among other things in a post in “Facebook”