Gutierrez Criticizes Kurti for Ignoring and Justifying Journalist Hostility
Ricardo Gutierrez, general secretary of the Federation of European Journalists, warned about a deteriorating media environment in Kosovo. His remarks came during the Council of Europe Platform for the Safety of Journalists’ Fact-Finding Mission conference.
Meeting with the prime minister
Gutierrez said he and his team met Prime Minister Albin Kurti for nearly two hours. He said Kurti declined to condemn public statements directed at journalists.
Gutierrez added that the prime minister did not acknowledge a hostile climate toward reporters. He said Kurti framed attacks on journalists as comparable to attacks on politicians.
“If journalists are attacked, maybe this happens because sometimes politicians are attacked too,” Gutierrez quoted Kurti as saying.
Concerns from press organisations
Gutierrez described the overall media situation in Kosovo as very bad. He said the meeting exposed a lack of political will to improve journalist safety.
He called Kurti’s refusal to denounce hostility against reporters a deeply troubling outcome. Observers summarized the meeting under the line Gutierrez Criticizes Kurti for Ignoring and Justifying Journalist Hostility.
Recommendations and next steps
James Wiseman of the International Press Institute urged the government to open dialogue with journalists’ associations. He highlighted deep mistrust and polarization between the authorities and the media community.
This was Wiseman’s second mission to Kosovo in a little over two years. He said the direction of media freedom in the country is a growing concern.
The fact-finding mission aimed to assess risks and propose measures to protect journalists. Participants called on Kosovo officials to engage with media representatives and address these threats.
