The elections of May 14, OSCE makes a strong appeal to political parties

In Tirana, the OSCE and other Western institutions today appealed to the participants in the May 14 local elections not to put pressure on the Albanian media to violate professional standards and ethics, but to help them fulfill them.

They spoke with concern about the pressures placed on journalists in their work, especially during election campaigns.

The Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Guido de Sanctis, emphasized today in the meeting with the CEC and other local and international representatives that the ODIHR in the report on the 2021 elections devoted several important parts to the state of the Albanian media, where it is spoken with concern over the freedom of the media, its editorial independence, the transparency of the campaign as well as the security of the journalists' working conditions.

He emphasized that parties spend a lot on their media appearances and the risk of this investment is that candidates can take control of the content of media reports during the campaign.

"Our observers of the missions led by ODIHR have emphasized in every election the importance of editorial independence in the media and the need to support them in creating conditions to avoid self-censorship, because journalists often talk about the many pressures they face in their work during reporting. OSCE supports the media in fulfilling the standards of professional ethics, transparency to accurately inform about the progress of campaigns. All factors and partners need to dialogue, to find solutions, so that the media implements the principles of professional ethics", says Ambassador De Sanctis.

Western diplomats and local experts discussed together the financing of the election campaign, hate speech, the role of the media, as well as ethical standards during the election campaign.

The head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana, Olsi Dekovi, emphasized that hate speech during the election campaign brings serious consequences such as intolerance, division and possible violence.

“Gjuha e urrejtjes mund të ndihmojë në polarizimin politik, armiqësinë mes grupeve, intolerancën dhe mosbesimin midis komuniteteve të ndryshme, margjinalizimin e grupeve të veçanta. Gjuha e urrejtjes mund të shkurajojë njerëzit edhe për të mos marrë pjesë në votime, kur dëgjojnë se pranë kutive të votimit mund të ketë kërcënime ose dhunë. Ndaj iu inkurajojmë që të lihet mënjanë gjuha e urrejtjes nga të gjithë aktorët dhe nga mediat sociale”, thotë zoti Dekovi.

Ndërsa kryetari i Komisionit qendror të Zgjedhjeve, Ilirjan Celibashi, theksoi se media duhet lejuar të kryejë e lirë dhe pa presione detyrat e veta informuese ndaj publikut, punë kjo veçanërisht e rëndësishme gjatë fushatave zgjedhore, ndërsa një sfidë e vërtetë mbetet mosrregullimi ligjor i mediave online.

“Rrjetet sociale dhe mediat online kanë marrë një zhvillim shumë të madh edhe në këtë fushë, por ende nuk kanë rregullimet e duhura ligjore. Shpresojmë që në reformën zgjedhore, kjo të marrë një zgjidhje. Asgjë nuk e pengon Kuvendin dhe partitë që të vendosin rregulla në këtë fushë me interesit të madh publik”, thotë zoti Celibashi.

Shqipëria është në prag të fushatës për zgjedhjet vendore, ndërsa është bërë e zakonshme që fushata të nisë shumë javë e muaj më herët se afatet ligjore, me premtime, fjalime dhe përurime.

The media have also started to get involved in the election atmosphere, talking about potential candidates, but the concern of internationals and the CEC is that it remains a balanced information tool on political platforms and not a propaganda instrument in close party service and in violation of professional standards and ethics./ VOA