Kosovo Albanian separatists grip media
Europe’s top association of broadcasters Monday accused Kosovo’s government of exerting pressure on public radio and television network RTK in the run-up to elections next month.
European Broadcasting Union chief Jean Reveillon warned Prime Minister Hacim Thaci the issue could jeopardize Kosovo’s ambitions for greater international recognition, according to a letter released by the EBU.
In a statement, the EBU said RTK and its staff had been submitted to “a relentless process of political interference” through political and financial pressure in the past five months.
“I regret to say that…pressure from your government has transformed RTK from being a balanced supplier of news into a media arm of the ruling party and of yourself as prime minister,” Reveillon told Thaci.
“Critical or alternative voices have been suppressed.
“What we are now seeing is pressure from the Kosovo government to turn RTK into an uncritical state broadcaster–a fact that will be beneficial neither to the citizens of Kosovo nor to your ambitions for more international recognition of your country,” he said.
Kosovo’s declaration of independence in February 2008 is recognized by 62 countries including the U.S. and most European Union member states, but it is opposed by Serbia and its ally Russia.
RTK, set up with EBU assistance 10 years ago when Kosovo was put under U.N. administration, was regarded as a largely multi-ethnic and independent voice in the erstwhile Serbian province.
Reveillon urged Thaci to “rethink the pressure” and restore RTK’s independence.
The EBU groups national broadcasters in 56 countries in Europe and around the Mediterranean basin.
AFP
October 26, 2009
Jean Reveillon should review the BBC for its lack of balance and impartiality when reporting the Karadzic trial.
Mark,UK.
You are right the BBC is a disgrace i watched Alan Little last week doing a so called report on the Karadzic trial full of the same old bull, Srebrenica, ethnic cleansing and all the rest of it,What i find disgusting these people don’t even try to be balanced.