The Albanian Media Council, together with journalists and partner media, strongly PROTESTS against the scandal of phone messages allegedly addressed to the owner of Ora News, Mr. Ylli Ndroqi, by the Mayor of Tirana, Mr. Erion Veliaj.
The messages, while insulting personally and professionally the journalist Beti Njuma, show clearly the pressure to control the editorial line of Ora News TV, and are a clear interference not only amoral but also illegal in with the  independence of the media.
These messages also show a set standard of threatening and pressure towards the media and Albanian journalists by elected officials, such as the Mayor of Tirana.
AMC requests the Mayor of Tirana, Mr. Veliaj, to speak up on the authenticity of these messages, and to come out and apologize publicly, not only to the journalist Njuma, but also to the community of journalists.
AMC urges the responsible bodies of Justice to urgently investigate the authenticity of these messages, which, if true, seriously violate the Constitution of Albania by an elected official, and violate the freedom of speech and expression.