The European Union Office in Tirana, in a public response, urges the authorities to refrain from taking actions that violate the ability of journalists to exercise their freedom. The EU called for legal proceedings to be pursued.
The European Union Office in Tirana reacted on Wednesday to the blocking of the work of News24 television, after the transfer of the building where this television operated to the ownership of a public company. Requesting the pursuit of legal procedures, the EU Office in Tirana emphasized in a short public statement that no actions should be taken that violate the ability of journalists to exercise their freedom.
"In this context, it is important that any action taken does not infringe on the ability of journalists to exercise their freedom to convey information and to preserve the confidentiality of their sources," the EU response states.
The EU office said it was closely following the situation and sought legal solutions, while recalling that the freedom of journalists is critical for guaranteeing the rule of law. “These are essential aspects of media freedom and pluralism, which are critical for guaranteeing the rule of law,” the statement said.
The reaction comes five days after the police and the army prevented Focus Media Group journalists from entering the television station's premises. News24 television's broadcasts were interrupted in the early hours of August 9, after the State Police surrounded the building where these media outlets operated, cut off the electricity supply and prevented journalists and staff from accessing their work premises.
The police action stems from a broader property dispute between the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation (MEKI) and Focus Media Group over rents and procedures. According to authorities, for one of the buildings in the former Autotraktor Plant in Shkozë, the lease contract has been terminated since 2022 and Focus Media Group has lost the courts, while for the building where the editorial office is currently located, MEKI claims that there were unpaid rent obligations.
The authorities' actions have been previously condemned by local and international media freedom organizations. Meanwhile, a Tirana Court ruling on August 12 ordered the authorities to return to the journalists the materials that were transported to state reserves after the building was blocked. The court described the measures taken as disproportionate and demanded that the journalists' work not be hindered.
"In this regard, the court considers the interference and restriction of journalists and their rights disproportionate to the situation that caused this restriction and the need to intervene," the Tirana Court's decision states. /BIRN/
