Media freedom violated again: Gervalla and Hasani's conference without translation into Serbian language

At the press conference of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, Donika Gervalla, and her Albanian counterpart, Igli Hasani, held this morning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo in Pristina, there was no translation for reporters covering in the Serbian language, Kosovo Online reporter stated. Translation is one of the burning issues for journalists of Serbian media outlets in Kosovo and the most frequent form of jeopardizing media freedom.

The press conference held by Gervalla and Hasani was attended only by the Kosovo Online team among journalists reporting in the Serbian language. In response to the question from a journalist of Kosovo Online about the lack of translation into the Serbian language, an apology was issued from the cabinet, with a promise to send the speech in Serbian via email. Until the publication of this news, the email from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not arrived.

According to the Law on the Use of Languages in Kosovo, the official languages are Albanian and Serbian, and translation into the Serbian language is a burning issue for journalists of Serbian media outlets in Kosovo. The most common form of jeopardizing media freedom is hindering work due to the lack of translation into the Serbian language, and journalists of Serbian media outlets have faced this problem several times, warned the Association of Journalists of Kosovo and Metohija in September 2023.

Central and local institutions, as well as various organizations, violate the Law on the Use of Languages. Despite numerous appeals, protests, and condemnation of such actions, Kosovo institutions do not provide translation into the Serbian language, preventing journalists from performing their duties.

Association of Journalists of Kosovo and Metohija has also warned of cases of selective access to inviting media to events of public importance.