FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The previous director of Albanian public television, Alfred Peza, unexpectedly fired about 150 of his employees; they took the case to court and many of them are winning, causing great costs for RTSH.
After two decades of work, Ogert Peza says he was fired from Albania's public television, RTSH, two years ago because he refused an order from the directorate to falsely state that one of the cameramen had not shown up for work.
" My refusal to manipulate the information brought the immediate reaction of the Director General, who immediately signed the decision to dismiss me from my job as chief cameraman and, inexplicably, also the journalist who had accompanied the cameraman ," Peza recalls.
Two years later, a court ruled in his favor and ordered RTSH to pay Peza two years' salary as well as legal costs.
He is not the only one.
Around 150 people left RTSH after the appointment of Alfred Peza (no family connection to Ogert Peza) as Director General in 2023.
Alfred Peza was a ruling Socialist Party MP and Secretary for Media Relations until September 2021; his appointment raised concerns about the public broadcaster's editorial independence.
BIRN has so far spoken to six former employees who have won their unfair dismissal cases in Albanian courts, putting the television station's finances in difficulty due to mounting damages awards.
However, Alfred Peza, who left office in September of last year without giving any reason, has not paid any price.
"The former Director General and former members of the Steering Council have not yet been held accountable for the great damage caused to the RTSH budget and consequently to the state budget," said Isa Myzyraj, president of the Journalists Association of Albania.
“It is the duty of the current leaders of the institution to refer to the prosecutor’s office any evidence of violations committed before they took office,” Myzyraj told BIRN. Calling for a state audit of the broadcaster, he added: “If there is no criminal liability, then every RTSH official will pursue illegal activities knowing that there will be no consequences.”
Alfred Peza did not respond to a request for comment.
Debt and damage to reputation
On July 9, the head of the RTSH Steering Council, Fatjon Hoxhalli, told media organizations that court cases over unfair dismissals have so far cost the state budget around 118 million lek, or 1.8 million euros.
RTSH is already in huge debt, amounting to around six million euros, according to the vice president of the Board of Directors, Petrit Beci.
But Blerina Hamzallari, who was fired during Alfred Peza's tenure and returned after his resignation, said it's not just a matter of financial damage.
"Many of us were fired while on leave or when we had submitted a medical report," Hamzallari said.
"In addition to the financial damage that has been caused, as the courts are ruling in favor of the journalists, there is also other damage in terms of the image, reputation and internal management of the institution," she told BIRN.
“The law must be adapted and people who violate it must be held personally liable for financial damage.”
In April, journalist Eni Vasili was elected to replace Alfred Peza as Director General.
The public broadcaster is in theory a politically independent institution, but the Governing Council is elected by parliament, which is dominated by socialists, while the Director General is elected by the board.
BIRN requested an interview with Vasili, but did not receive a response.
However, at the same meeting with media organizations on July 9, Vasili said: “RTSH staff should be treated with more dignity, with improved working conditions and better financial treatment. In the meantime, RTSH should return to its historical role as a media school that shapes and prepares the new generations.” /BIRN
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