EBU: Kosovo's RTK is "Media Arm" of PM

The European Broadcasting Union on Monday attacked Hashim Thaci, Kosovo’s prime minister, for turning public service broadcaster RTK, into a "media arm of the ruling party".

In a letter to Thaci sent today, Jean Reveillon, head of the EBU, said that RTK was facing "a relentless process of political and economic interference" in a government-led bid to turn the broadcaster into "state TV".

“Until five months ago, despite difficult circumstances and the occasional editorial hiccup, RTK was rightly considered a success story - not least owing to its multiethnic character,” he wrote.

“Soon after the declaration of independence, however, a relentless process of political and economic interference began which led to the director general’s resignation,” said Reveillon, referring to last month’s resignation of Agim Zatriqi in acrimonious circumstances.

He added that RTK’s Board of Directors has had its “powers completely curbed”.

The EBU represents 125 national broadcasters and promotes public service media in Europe and around the world.

Reveillon wrote: “What we are now seeing is pressure from the Kosovo government to turn RTK into an uncritical state broadcaster - a fact that will be beneficial neither to the citizens of Kosovo nor to your ambitions for more international recognition of your country."

“Pressure from your government transformed RTK from being a balanced supplier of news into a media arm of the ruling party and of yourself as prime minister. Critical or alternative voices have been suppressed,” Reveillon wrote.

He urged Thaci to take “urgent measures” to restore the broadcaster’s independence. Reveillon threatened to withdraw support for RTK if the pressure continued.

He wrote: “This would have a very damaging effect on the programming available to viewers in Kosovo.”

Government Spokesperson Memli Krasniqi said: “I cannot say anything before I read the letter. If the letter arrived after 4pm, then the protocol office is closed. Without the official letter, I cannot say anything.”

Reveillon’s letter was copied to, among others, the president of the European Commission, the director general of UNESCO, the secretary general of the Council of Europe, the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe, and to members of the European Parliament.