Albania must ensure media law meets Venice Commission standards

The European Council has called on the Albanian government to bring the draft amendments to the media law in line with Venice Commission recommendations, something it has failed to do so far, reports Exit.al.

On Monday, European ministers met in the General Affairs Council, where they unanimously approved the Council’s conclusions on enlargement. Among concerns over migration and property rights, the Council asked Albania to “resume efforts to make tangible progress on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists.”

This call came on the same day a woman journalist was assaulted by two men in Tirana, in a year that has seen zero prosecutions for crimes against media workers. Furthermore, Albania continued to score poorly, continuing a downwards trend in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index in 2021 since Prime Minister Edi Rama came to power.

The law, currently a parliamentary vote away from entering into force, would bring all online media under the control of a parliament-appointed body headed by Rama’s former communications aide.

The Venice Commission was asked to review the law and did not hold back its criticism.

In their draft opinion dated 28 May, the Commission considered the draft amendments “not ready for adoption in their current form”, adding that the law “suffers from vagueness and would likely have a ‘chilling effect’ suppressing free discussion and political speech […].”

They urge the Albanian government to support the setting-up of a self-regulatory body, and that those overseeing the law should be politically independent.

Finally, the Venice Commission recommends “reconsidering the adoption” of the law because it “may do more harm than good to the freedom of expression” in the country.

The amendments were passed by the Socialist majority a year ago and then vetoed by the president. It remains on the parliament’s agenda and can be passed with a simple majority at any time.

Despite calls from thousands of journalists, many journalist organisations, and members of civil society, the European Commission has refused to make shelving the law a condition of attending the first intergovernmental conference marking the official start of EU accession talks.

(Alice Taylor | Exit.al/en)