Albert Zogaj, the Chairman of the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC), stated that the judiciary has prioritized cases involving journalists. However, according to him, the penal policy for such cases remains lenient.
Speaking about the Reporters Without Borders report on the World Press Freedom Index, where Kosovo was ranked 99th, Zogaj noted that this ranking was one of the worst news for the Republic of Kosovo.
“I do not intend to exclude the responsibility of the judicial system in this area, but it certainly means we need a general reflection on this report. Media freedom is one of the key parameters for measuring the level of democracy in a country and consequently the rule of law. In this context, this report serves as an alarm for the justice sector in general, but also for the judiciary,” said Zogaj.
The KJC chairman explained that in recent years, actions have been taken to properly address journalist-related cases, both in criminal matters and when there are lawsuits aimed at obstructing journalistic work, such as SLAPP lawsuits (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation).
“With the Access to Justice Strategy, the KJC has prioritized these cases. If we look at the numbers, we currently have over 600 cases of defamation and libel, which include journalist-related cases,” said Zogaj.
He emphasized that these cases are being treated with high professionalism and stressed that a standard of conduct needs to be established for their handling, with the expectation that these cases are resolved within a record timeframe.
However, he acknowledged that the penal policy is still low, though he emphasized that such policies cannot change overnight.
