FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The sackings at Albania's public television have raised fresh fears of political interference after the election of a new director, with some of those who lost their jobs telling BIRN they were unfairly dismissed after a hasty review by ad hoc commissions.
Media unions in Albania and Europe have criticized a wave of dismissals at RTSH since Alfred Peza, a former deputy of the ruling Socialist Party, was elected director in June.
Some of those who lost their jobs have since spoken to BIRN on condition of anonymity, fearing legal reprisals or the risk of not finding a new job.
One, who was fired for absenteeism, said that in her case the commission had not considered the documents she had provided to justify her absence from work.
Another told BIRN that on the day the checks were carried out, she had the day off work to make up for weekend shifts and previous holidays. Her boss told the committee why she was absent, but to no avail, she said. "Then I went to the commission and a few days later I was notified of the final dismissal. After 11 years of work, this was the reason."
The lawyers of some of those dismissed questioned the procedure.
"For me, the commission was illegal because there was no authorization as to how it was set up, who legitimized it, who were the appointed persons", said Margarita Kola, lawyer and former legal expert on RTSH radio.
"Whoever runs public television and carries out these types of dismissals must be accountable to Albanian taxpayers, because these people will go to court and most of them will win," Kola told BIRN. "And a person who goes to an institution and abuses the Albanians' money, has at least an obligation to explain himself."
Lawyer Besnik Dervishaj cited "very serious violations" of the Labor Code, including the lack of explanation, non-compliance with notice deadlines and non-use of disciplinary measures before dismissal.
Dervishaj told BIRN that if the other cases are like the two cases he had examined, "we are facing a criminal offense of abuse of office with multiple consequences and in many criminal episodes".
The "takeover" of RTSH by the Socialist Party
A third employee, a cameraman, said he had also lost his job due to absenteeism when he was actually filming outside. He said that his supervisor had spoken in favor of the young man at the commission session, but that he too had been fired from his job.
In one case, official documents seen by BIRN state that the employee deliberately "avoided the duties assigned to him", "causing economic damage to the institution".
Another, citing the checks carried out, decided that the employee did not respect the "obligations" and "responsibilities" according to their contract with RTSH.
Të gjithë ish-punonjësit e kontaktuar nga BIRN thanë se kishin në plan të ngrinin padi për largim të padrejtë nga puna.
RTSH dhe drejtori i saj, Peza, nuk iu përgjigjën kërkesave për koment.
Sekretari i Përgjithshëm i Federatës Evropiane të Gazetarëve, EFJ, Ricardo Gutierrez, i tha BIRN se “marrja” e RTSH-s nga Partia Socialiste ishte një “skandal serioz”.
“Televizioni publik duhet t'i përkasë të gjithë qytetarëve shqiptarë”, tha ai. “Por ajo që ne po shohim qartë këtu është kapja e televizionit publik për ta vënë atë në shërbim të interesave vetëm të partisë në pushtet.”
Gutierrez i bëri thirrje Bashkimit Evropian të Transmetuesve, EBU, “të vërë në pikëpyetje përkatësinë e RTSH-së, e cila nuk ofron më garancitë e nevojshme të pavarësisë”.
The appointment of Peza followed that of Armela Krasniqi, the former spokesperson of the Socialist Party, as the head of the Audiovisual Media Authority in 2021.
Albania fell 20 places in the press freedom index compiled by Reporters Without Borders in 2022, falling from 83rd place to 103rd place.
In its most recent report on Albania's progress towards EU membership, the European Commission said that "no progress" had been made in terms of media freedom./BIRN
Lini një Përgjigje