OSCE Presence in Albania holds 6th annual Media Development Forum

The sixth Media Development Forum – a platform for professional dialogue on media issues among state institutions, media and civil society – concluded on 20 November in Tirana. The OSCE Presence in Albania organized the two-day annual event.

The Forum focused on a variety of issues. Among these were the working environment for journalists in Albania; effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; media freedom and freedom of speech in Albania; the government-proposed legislation to regulate online media; the media personnel’s professional growth; and best practices aimed at improving communication between state authorities and journalists for a better flow of information and against fake news.

“We are here to make available our technical support through the implementation of a number of projects. To improve the level of professionalism in reporting, to make more transparent the ownership of media, to support media to self-regulate and to improve the performance and professionalism of the public TV broadcaster”, said Vincenzo Del Monaco, Head of the OSCE Presence, at the opening of the forum.

Luigi Soreca, Head of the European Union Delegation to Albania; Jutta Gützkow, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana; and Jürgen Heissel, Director of the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media also delivered welcoming remarks.

A special ceremony was held on the margins of the Forum to mark the completion of a three-month internship programme at the Albanian Public Broadcaster (RTSH) by six journalism students from the Tirana University. The internship was part of the Media in Focus project, implemented by the OSCE Presence with EU funds, which aims at strengthening the public broadcaster and the journalism school in Albania.

Thoma Gëllçi, RTSH General Director said: “The OSCE Presence in Albania has played a crucial role in transforming and empowering the Albanian public broadcaster. I highly appreciate the partnership among the OSCE, the European Union and the European Broadcasting Union in providing assistance and training for RTSH. I believe the public broadcaster will be a strong and reliable media alternative for audiovisual broadcasting in the country”.