The Presidency of Kosovo has once again reacted to the reports concerning the Ferizaj murder case.
The Presidency has responded to the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK), calling their reaction unfair.
“The Association of Journalists of Kosovo, before telling us the path we should follow regarding what they call ‘dissatisfaction,’ should clarify whether this manner of reporting, as done by some portals, is in line with professional standards.”
“As confirmed by AGK itself, ‘it is the job of the media, by respecting the Code of Ethics, especially for tragic events, to do their work by providing facts and evidence regarding the circumstances of the event,'” the Presidency stated.
The Presidency asserts that in this specific case, the President’s reaction came precisely as a result of being deprived of the right to proper, accurate, and factually confirmed information.
“This is because, in this case, we are dealing with a breach of professional standards, by deliberately implicating the President in a situation that in no way relates to her.”
“It would have been very appropriate for AGK in this reaction to at least appeal in one paragraph for the respect of professional standards during reporting, not just in this case. What happened today does not constitute reporting but a campaign aimed at denigrating the figure of the President and her immediate family, which, as is being proven, is inciting violence and hatred.”
The Presidency claims that this “reporting” was neither ethical nor professional.
“In her public reaction, the President called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances allegedly leading to the murder. At no point does she give a verdict on the case but instead calls for a full investigation and priority action by the justice authorities. However, the President also demands that the low motives leading to her implication be investigated, accusing her even of influencing the justice system of Serbia, thereby accusing her of obstructing justice for circumstances she has never known, let alone had any connection with. Every journalist and all of AGK know very well that the President has never interfered in the justice system of Kosovo, let alone that of Serbia,” the Presidency’s reaction continued.
The Presidency denies having accused the mentioned media of working for Serbia.
“And finally, the President has nowhere accused the media of working for Serbia, but has stated that similar fabricated accusations have also been published by the media in Serbia. This is easily proven, as all are public.”
“It is up to AGK to help protect the professional standard of reporting, because only in this way does freedom of speech and the right to report make sense. ‘Journalism’ that incites hatred and produces slander is detrimental and not beneficial to journalism,” the reaction concluded.
