FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Representatives of international organizations, journalists and civil society actors raised concerns about the challenges facing the media, during a conference held in Tirana on press freedom and the safety of journalists.
The OSCE Ambassador to Albania, Michel Tarran, stated that journalism remains a key institution for democratic accountability, while warning that challenges to the media are no longer isolated, but are emerging throughout Europe and beyond.
In his speech, the diplomat emphasized that the decline in trust in institutions, corruption, and public polarization are also directly affecting the media and public space.
" Journalism is an institution that must be held accountable. Public spaces are taking new forms and the challenges we see today are common in many countries. Efforts to protect the media must be based on democratic values and dialogue ," Tarran said.
He called for strengthening the legal framework for the protection of journalists and guaranteeing safer conditions for practicing the profession, underlining that security today is not only related to territories, but also to the protection of public space and free information.
The OSCE Ambassador also appreciated recent developments in Albania in terms of increasing transparency on media ownership and the legal obligations of the sector, but stressed that further steps are needed.
According to him, the media community in Albania remains active and plays an important role in the public debate.
" The voice of journalists needs to be heard more and they need to be engaged in decision-making processes. It is necessary to strengthen transparency and legal protection for the media ," Tarran declared.
International representative Jan Braathu also spoke at the conference, describing media freedom as one of the fundamental pillars of democracy and warning of increasing pressure and threats against journalists.
" Without the safety of journalists, there can be no free media. Threats against them must not go unpunished ," Braathu said.
He emphasized that journalism remains a public good and an essential element for the functioning of a democratic society, calling for greater institutional commitment to protecting the profession.
Lini një Përgjigje