Press Release
30 April 2009In its regular meeting held on 28 April 2009, The Board of the Press Council of Kosovo reviewed three complaints.
After it thoroughly discussed in first instance the complaint of Jeta Xharra, Director of BIRN for Kosovo against “Infopress” newspaper, The Board of the Press Council of Kosovo found that in order to be able to publish a complete adjudication on the article entitled “Defamations about KLA”, more information from all parties involved was needed. Preliminary consensus was reached on the facts that “Infopress” was wrong in attributing the article to Ms Jeta Xharra and in denying the very existence of the two Albanian journalists of the article, namely Mr. Altin Raxhimi and Mr. Vladimir Karaj, who have recently publicly stated that together with Mr. Michael Montgomery they are the co-authors, of the article in question. This is an undisputed violation of the Press Code, Article II, Clause 1 and 2.
The representative of “Infopress” has admitted this was a professional mistake and that in general his newspaper has respect for Jeta Xharra as a journalist in post-war Kosovo.
Here is no factual basis whatsoever, to support the claim that Jeta Xharra has minimised crimes committed by Serbian forces in the past.
The Board has decided to adjourn final adjudication until the next session in order to clarify and investigate further possible violation related to incitement and hate speech (Article III).
During the Board meeting the chairman of the Board of PCK, Willem Houwen, observed that “In post-war journalism in Kosovo Jeta Xharra has been an excellent example of courageous journalism. She has initiated debates in an unbiased and fair way, what would have been unthinkable in the past. Her colleagues should follow her example, instead of vilifying her”.
The Press Council did not uphold the complaint of Mr. Haki Vatovci from Prishtina against “Koha Ditore” newspaper in relation to publishing of press release of “Termokos” where he is qualified as one of the debtors who owns 4.460 Euros to “Termkos” Company. One of the evidences that Mr. Vatovci presented to the Press Council indicates that he has paid all of his obligations towards “Termkos”.
“Koha Ditore” did not violate the Press Code as it only published an official release of a Public Enterprise, however Press Council will open a debate in relation to names of people that are selected in deferent debtors’ lists which are published by public enterprises which are failing to update and correct their lists regularly.
Likewise, Press Council did not uphold the complaint of Mr. Zef Prenaj, lawyer from Prishtina against “Express” in relation to articles called “Z File” published on 12 March 2009, than “Robaj and Prenaj have been eliminated” dated 28 March 2009 and “The shame list” dated 18 March 2009.
Mr. Prenaj is complaining as to why “Express” did not publish his response.
Press Council assessed that the right to response is one of the basic rights foreseen in our Press Code, however in the concrete case, Mr. Prenaj did not respect his right to respond in the main topics that were brought up by the respective articles, but has embarked upon some other topics which have a connotation of personal insults what is in contradiction with the intention of our Press Code.