Albania Mayor Threatens Journalists on Video

Source: 
Balkan Insight
Publication date: 
Jun 17 2015

An undated video showing the mayor of the town of Elbasan warning journalists they will be fired if they pose difficult questions has put a fresh spotlight on the plight of the media in Albania.

“You often forget that you have a job and that with your mouth and your camera, you are damaging the interests of your owners,” Sejdini warns his interlocutors in the video.

“You cannot go against your owner, because your owner's interests are strictly related to power and cannot play any other game. It doesn’t matter if you like the person sitting in front of you or not. The fact is that you should follow the interests of your owner,” Sejdini says in the undated video, published on Wednesday by ABC News TV station.

Sejdini then adds that at last one journalist has already lost her job because didn’t behave well, without giving the name. “I warned her. Now she is jobless,” Sejdini adds.

Sejdini, 64, is running for a third term as mayor in Elbasan in this Sunday's local elections.

Media ownership in Albania is far from transparent. In many cases media owners are construction companies that need permits to construct new buildings and, as such, are dependent on the good will of the mayors who provide such permits. As result, journalists exert self-censorship to avoid being fired.

Sejdini did not answer BIRN's request for comments.

 

Source: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albania-mayor-threatens-journali...