Pristina, May 3, 2024 – The Ombudsperson, Mr. Naim Qelaj, on the occasion of marking the World Press Freedom Day, underlines the importance of freedom of the press and the safety of journalists, as one of the essential elements of a democratic society, which are guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and the legislation in power.

Verbal threats and physical attacks against journalists and other media workers continue to be present in their work. Likewise, the pressures on them continue to remain a concern, such as the labeling and discrediting of journalists due to their reports, which are in the public interest.

The media must be free in order to continue their work, professionally and independently, in informing and educating the public, holding public institutions accountable and working to promote the values of democracy and human rights.

According to a recent research carried out by the Ombudsperson, regarding the language used in public discourse, including the language used in the media, it is underlined that the media are generally careful in respecting the code of ethics, avoiding the use of hate speech in their media content.

Independent and professional media should be empowered to fight the spread of fake news, disinformation and misinformation, especially those on social media, so that the public is informed with verified and reliable news.

The Ombudsperson calls on the Institutions of the country to strengthen activities to ensure continuous transparency in the functioning of public accountability, to respect the law on access to public documents and access to information as a public good.

He also draws attention to the necessity of the safety of journalists and the efficiency of justice bodies in punishing and preventing any form of violation of security and obstruction of the free exercise of the profession, as prerequisites for building a democratic society.