FLASH
Shkruar nga Arben Llangozi
Our officials behave as if the media is an enemy that threatens their existence, rather than an essential instrument of democracy that helps citizens understand what is done with money, laws, justice, and decisions that affect everyone's lives.
For years now, in Albania, we have been listening to a ridiculous symphony, repeated to the point of fatigue: ministers who feel blackmailed by journalists, MPs who cannot bear an unpleasant question, heads of institutions who see the media as an obstacle, and even representatives of the judiciary, like Altin Dumani, who have publicly spoken about media pressure.
It's an ensemble of worried officials who, to listen to them, sound like they're dealing with dangerous mafias, not journalists wielding a microphone and a notepad.
This whole scene is so absurd, I don't know whether to laugh or put my hands on my head.
Because something incredible is happening in Albania, the government, equipped with thousands of defense mechanisms, interprets critical questions as a “threat.” Our officials behave as if the media is an enemy that threatens their existence, and not an essential instrument of democracy that helps citizens understand what is done with money, laws, justice, and decisions that affect everyone’s lives.
And why is this happening? Because in Albania, almost every institutional mechanism of control over power has collapsed. When internal inspections do not function, when audits are carried out only to close files, when the ILD (High Inspectorate of Justice) deals with formalities and does not touch any real link in the system, when internal controls are simply a facade, who is left? Only the media.
In a normal country, power is controlled by several pillars, parliament, justice, inspection bodies, independent audits, accountability institutions, and even the media. In our country, most of these pillars are just decoration. Parliamentary control does not exist, audits are cold reports that lead nowhere, inspections of justice institutions are dealt with on paper, not with responsibility. In short, official observers sleep, while violations walk.
That is why the media has become the only real fear for the government. Because it is the only one that works. The only one that asks. The only one that asks for documents. The only one that has the courage not to accept uncontrolled explanations. The only one that says to the official, “Come out and explain.” In the absence of all other control institutions, the Albanian journalist has become the last remaining inspector. And this very fact has thrown the comfort of the officials out of the game.
And here the real comedy begins, instead of the government improving transparency, strengthening internal control, and explaining the decisions it makes, it chooses the easy way out, declaring the media a "threat".
If the ILD were functioning, no one would need to be afraid of a journalist. If the audits were honest, their reports would speak louder than any television news report. If the inspectors acted, there would be no need for the media to uncover every scandal. But how do these things work? They either lack the will, or they lack the courage.
And here we are, an entire country trembling from a microphone. An official talking about "threats" because a document is requested. An institution leader talking about "pressure" because someone wants to know why a case has been delayed.
A figure of justice who talks about "media obstacles," while the walls of his institution do not crumble at all when decisions are signed without transparency. And all this for a simple reason: the media is the only control body that is not subject to them.
This is not a functioning democracy, it is a tired democracy, where the government is afraid of the truth, and the truth only comes out when someone follows it with a camera in hand. In serious countries, officials respond with documents, not with victimization. Where there is real control, there is no fear of questions. Where there is institutional integrity, there is no hostility towards journalism.
Ironically, the media does not endanger anyone who is righteous. What the media endangers is only lies, deception, and the oblivion of accountability. Therefore, officials who fear the media are actually afraid of their own reflection. And when a state reaches the point where the government is afraid of the mirror, then citizens should be more concerned than ever.
Because when the ILD doesn't work, the audit doesn't work, the internal control doesn't work, the parliamentary oversight doesn't work, then if the media falls, democracy falls too. And then we are left with no eyes that see, no ears that hear, no mouths that ask.
In this country where accountability has been declared a "threat," the media is the last defense the citizen has. And as long as officials continue to tremble at questions, the media must ask more. Because the most dangerous expression you can hear in a country is this, No one is in control anymore.
And for this very reason, the media should never remain silent. Never.
Lini një Përgjigje