Tvrdisic left RTK2: I didn't accept censorship and I never will

RTK2 Director Zeljko Tvrdisic has left the media house due to what he described as censorship by individuals and political organizations that do not share opinions in line with the Kosovo Government's policy.

Tvrdisic announced on Facebook that he had turned down an offer from representatives of the Kosovo Public Service to continue working on RTK2 and sent a letter to CEO Shkumbin Ahmetxhekaj.

In the letter, he emphasized that his response would have been different had the offer come a month ago and before the scandalous decision by the RTK Board when, as he noted, he had been unjustifiably suspended from work for 30 days.

The RTK Board's decision was a classic attack on the independent editorial policy of the channel in the Serbian language. With that decision, one of the basic human rights, the right to freedom of speech, was violated. The RTK Board sent a clear message to all employees of RTK2 - censor individuals and political organizations if they express opinions that are not in line with the Kosovo Government's policy. I did not accept censorship and I will never accept it. This is one of the main reasons why I am telling you this time - no", Tvrdisic stated.

He pointed out that in the past three years, RTK2 had operated in accordance with professional standards, and its editorial policy had been independent, fair, professional, objective, balanced, and neutral.

He also noted that in the past three years, there had not been a single stain in the program or a single scandal.

"This was not the case with other program units of the Kosovo Public Service, as well as with the RTK Board", Tvrdisic added.

In the letter, he stated that it was a journalist's obligation to report accurately, objectively, completely, and in a timely manner on events of public interest, while respecting the public's right to know the truth and adhering to the basic standards of the journalism profession.

"It was the public's right to know that on September 28, in Gracanica, the citizens of this municipality organized a candlelight vigil and that the municipal leadership was present with the citizens," Tvrdisic wrote, citing the journalist's code that specified that "the potential effect of the published information on the media or media owner must not influence the decision to publish it.

He pointed out that for three years, RTK2 had been operating without a chief editor since the competitions they had published for this position had been unsuccessful due to a lack of interest in this responsible job, and he had been performing the duties without compensation.

"Please convey to the RTK Board members that in the future, they should be careful when raising their hands to vote on important decisions because it is easy to wash the hands they vote with, but the dirt from another part of the body is hard to clean. I am aware that you were under tremendous pressure last month, but our profession, democracy, and humanity must be defended, as you will agree", he further stated in the letter.

He noted that he was leaving RTK2 with honor, despite threats and an unsuccessful attempt at discreditation "by a minister who speaks the native language unclearly".

He requested that the letter be read at today's RTK Board meeting and thanked all his colleagues employed at the Public Service with whom he had collaborated over the past three years.