An emergency press conference was held regarding the selection of members of the Boards of Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) and Independent Media Commission (IMC), regarding concerns over these processes. Civil society is demanding that this process be suspended and restarted when it is ensured that there is transparency.

Xhemajl Rexha from the Association of Journalists of Kosovo said that this process has been non-transparent from the very beginning by the Assembly of Kosovo.

“The whole process has been non-transparent from the very beginning, from the Assembly of Kosovo, from the MPs of the largest party, Vetëvendosje Movement. The whole organization of reviewing the files of the candidates who have applied—over 70 for RTK and over 30 for IMC—has been carried out in a way that there has been a lack of transparency, and for this reason opposition members yesterday boycotted the meeting of the ad hoc committee for RTK,” said Rexha.

Rexha emphasizes that civil society is demanding that this process be temporarily suspended and restarted when it is ensured that the process is transparent.

Meanwhile, Mexhide Demolli, executive director of Lëvizja FOL, described the process as compromised.

“The whole process is compromised, from all the processes we have monitored in the past in the Assembly of Kosovo, what happened yesterday and what is expected to happen today is completely the opposite of the good practice we have built in the past,” said Demolli.

Flutura Kusari, media lawyer, added that the level of quality of the candidates is very low.

“The level of quality of the candidates who have applied is extremely low. It is very hard to find professionals who deserve to be members of the RTK Board, and this has happened because professionals do not trust the Vetëvendosje Movement that they will carry out a fair, transparent and merit-based process,” said Kusari.

Kusari emphasized that it has been mentioned that candidates were called for interviews last night, and according to her this is “a mockery of democracy.”

And, Gëzim Shala said that due to continuous attempts to interfere in these institutions, Kosovo has so far been ranked very low.

“The Independent Media Commission as an independent constitutional institution and as a media regulator has crucial importance… Together with the public broadcaster they are the foundation of democracy. Due to continuous attempts of interference in these institutions, Kosovo has been ranked lower and lower in various international reports,” said Shala.

Meanwhile, today the Ad hoc Committee for the selection of candidates for members of the RTK Board has started interviewing the proposed candidates for members of the RTK Board.