Shutting down Klan Kosova is the heaviest blow by Albin Kurti's government to media freedom in Kosovo

Kljan Kosova
Source: Reporteri

Representatives of the opposition parties in Kosovo, media associations, and public figures reacted to the rejection of the appeal of Klan Kosova television, with which the decision to suspend the business license of that media remained in force, pointing out that this decision was political and that it was also the heaviest blow by the Government of Albin Kurti to media freedom in Kosovo.

The Kosovo Journalists Association announced that it was disturbed by the decision of the Appeals Commission of the Ministry and that with this decision, Minister Rozeta Hajdari, who was a part of Kurti's government, had completed all the necessary administrative actions for the closure of Klan Kosova television, Teve 1 reports.

"This decision should be understood as a decision by the Self-Determination Movement and Prime Minister Kurti to close a media outlet for the first time since the end of the war in Kosovo. The Association believes that this process is politically motivated from the beginning and that the ruling party and Prime Minister Kurti's government are trying to close down the largest private television in the country," the announcement states.

The Association points out that this decision confirms the open and unprecedented war of this government against the media, as well as a warning that other media will also be the target of attacks.

"Today's political decision by Kurti's government is the heaviest blow to media freedom in Kosovo since the war," the statement said.

In response, the European Center for Media and Press Freedom stated that they were appalled by that decision, adding that it was unprecedented in the new history of Kosovo and that it seriously threatened pluralism and media freedom, and sent a clear message to other media.

In a post on Facebook, they called on Klan Kosova to fight against that decision before the Court.

Reporters Without Borders point out on Twitter that the pluralism of information is seriously threatened by such a decision, calling for the decision to be overturned.

The Vice President of the PDK, Vlora Citaku, reacted to the decision to shut down Klan Kosova, stating that the idea of freedom of speech and thought was being brutally attacked and that it was no longer and should not be the battle of only one media, but that it was the battle of the whole society.

Media rights lawyer Flutura Kusari pointed out that it was a political decision and also accused the Self-Determination Movement, Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and Minister Rozeta Hajdari of closing the media.

Kusari wrote on Facebook that the decision to suspend the business certificate was political, arbitrary, with a wrong legal basis, that it had been made by authorities and officials who did not have the authority to suspend business certificates, and as a part of a fabricated procedure.

The spokeswoman of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Sibel Halimi, believes that this decision threatens everyone and indicates that the reaction of the whole society is needed.

"Our country is going backwards, this should not be allowed. It is no longer about political battles, but about protecting the most basic values of democracy, such as freedom, opinion, and free expression," Halimi wrote on Facebook.

The President of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, asked Prime Minister Albin Kurti to abandon the decision related to shutting down Klan Kosova, as well as to apologize to citizens and journalists.

"The sun cannot be covered with a sieve, Albin Kurti. In a European country, the media are not shut down! We are not North Korea! So give up this crazy decision and let Klan Kosova do its job! Go out, apologize to the journalists, and save some dignity," Haradinaj pointed out on Facebook.

The President of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Lumir Abdixhiku, assessed that the shutdown of Klan Kosova was an attack by the authoritarian government on freedom of speech and an attack by propaganda paranoia on democracy itself.

"This Government wants a crisis. This Government loves fear. In this unprecedented battle, it's not just television. It's all the media, journalists, and promoters of freedom of speech. We are all, individually and collectively. Therefore, we will all be together in this confrontation. Freedom of speech will triumph," Abdixhiku wrote on Facebook.

He added that "the orders of the Politburo cannot defeat Kosovo's democracy".

PDK President Memli Krasniqi says that the Government's decision to close Klan Kosovo is unacceptable, dangerous, illegal, and against every democratic value on which the state of Kosovo was built.

"This Government has gone astray! Every day, from panic, it sinks more and more into the mire of unworthy decisions and dictatorial tendencies. Therefore, today we are all united against this authoritarian decision and in defense of freedom of expression and free media. Do not close Klan Kosovo. Dictatorship will not pass," Krasniqi said on Facebook.

Journalist and director of the Nacionale portal Berat Buzhala called on Facebook for all journalists to show solidarity with Klan Kosova television.

"This is a real and serious test of democracy and free media. A general strike of independent media and journalists is guaranteed," Buzhala said.

The General Secretary of the European Federation of Journalists, Ricardo Gutierrez, also believes that the decision to shut down Klan Kosova represents the darkest day of "state censorship", he pointed out on Twitter that "the Government has finally managed to shut down Klan Kosova".

According to him, Kurti's government is pushing Kosovo into the most conservative neoliberalism with the greatest contempt for the values of the European Union.

The Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade announced today that it had rejected the appeal of TV Klan Kosova on the suspension of its work permit, with the explanation that the decision to revoke the license had been made in accordance with the law, and all with the explanation that in the documentation of the television owner's company, it is stated that Kosovo is a part of Serbia.