EU: KPM bill not negatively impact media freedom

The bill received the support of 61 of 62 deputies present at the session, enough to overcome the first obstacle.

It should also be voted in second reading in the Parliament before it becomes law.

The legislation envisions that online media, producing videos, should be recorded as business. With the changes, the KPM will have a mandate to monitor even online media work that produces audio-visual content.

Changes in legislation envision fines of up to 40,000 euros for media that commit various legal violations.

This legislation, issued by the Kosovo government last December, has sparked criticism both at home and abroad.

The Association of Kosovo Journalists, the Council of Kosovo's Written Media, but also a group of international organisations have called on the Kosovo government to give up the changes to the law.

They have seen this legislation as “attack” on the media, voicing fears that the executive may use this law to censor the media.

Even the European Union Office in Kosovo has said changes to the KMP Bill should be made in a way that will not have negative “negative impact” on media freedom.

Currently, texts published in online media are monitored by the Kosovo Media Council. He does not fine the media for their mistakes, but makes decisions on complaints made to the media and then Council decisions can be used to file civil indictments against the media in Kosovo courts.