We are calling upon all journalists, newsrooms and citizens to join us in our effort, Jo Pyetje Pa Përgjigje (No Questions Without Answers).

K2.0, together with journalists from 10 media organizations, has been monitoring the press conferences of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, President Hashim Thaçi, the Presidency of the Assembly of Kosovo, the Police and the Prosecutor’s Office.

Over a period of five months we monitored 52 out of 62 formal press conferences held by these institutions. Eight of them were not open for questions. The topics of those press conferences without questions tackled a variety of sensitive issues, from the past teacher’s strike to the 100% tax on Serbian products.

In the same period, the same institutions addressed the public in more than 1,000 Facebook posts through official pages alone. That means that for every press conference held, there have been 16 posts on Facebook.

For decades, press conferences have been a forum where politicians are exposed to unexpected questions in front of the media. They are a space where you can push for key answers, ask follow ups, expose a politician, hold them to account in public and ask critical questions that often go unanswered in email or phone communication.

Through the monitoring work we have done, and through talks with journalists, we see how this tool of great importance is neglected not only by politicians, but also by press officers in public institutions. This must change.

On Freedom of the Press Day, May 3 at 13:00, join us at the launch of “Jo Pyetje Pa Përgjigje,” at K2.0 garden. Journalists, media workers, and those for whom we truly work, citizens, are all invited to take part in this event!

We will be joined by:  

• Besa Luci — Editor in Chief at Kosovo 2.0
• Taulant Osmani — journalist at BIRN / member of the research team
• Saranda Ramaj — journalist at Koha / member of the research team
• Kreshnik Gashi — investigative journalist / moderator at Drejtësia në Kosovë
• The discussion will be moderated by Aurela Kadriu, author of the research

Albanian/English translation will be available.K

This event is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kosovo.