Statement: Government should withdraw from closing RTV ORA!

The Albanian Media Council reacts with great concern to the unprecedented act where a state health inspectorate undertakes the act of closing a media outlet, specifically the action by the Institute of Public Health to close Radio-Television Ora through an administrative measure.

The right to information and expression is guaranteed in the Constitution and cannot be blocked by administrative decisions, much less by the State Health Inspectorate.

The non-proportional nature not only of the measure for closing the activity, but also of the previous measures against this Television with very large fines (1 million ALL) in a time of economic difficulty for journalism proves that this action is a direct attack of the Government on media freedom and of free speech.

The Albanian Media Council calls on the Albanian Government to withdraw its measures and apologize publicly for this pure act of violence against an entire media outlet.

The Albanian Media Council calls on the Embassies of the EU and US countries, the OSCE Representative Office, the Council of Europe and the UN to respond in support of one of the most essential values ​​of the European family where Albania seeks to be part of, such as freedom of the media and free speech.

The Albanian Media Council calls on Albanian journalists and media to show solidarity with their colleagues on Ora Television. An attack on a media outlet is not just an attack on a group of journalists working there, but an attack on journalism.

Albanian Media Council