Prime Minister Edi Rama declared on Friday during a meeting of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group that the Albanian Radio Television (RTSH) has "failed successfully" and that the public institution must be radically reformed.
He said that:
"We have tried to create the conditions for RTSH to be reformed and we have failed with the most complete success... We are not going to give a single lek from Albanian taxes until it deserves it" and that "every option must be on the table, including final closure, privatization, and partnership."
The Prime Minister emphasized that funding from the budget will not continue as long as RTSH does not show tangible results, underlining that public funds must be used responsibly and transparently.
Rama also emphasized that he personally does not follow public television and that the last time he watched it was before 1990, adding that RTSH today does not function as an effective public media outlet, while other television stations achieve better results despite smaller budgets.
The Association of Journalists of Albania called Rama’s statement an extreme and unacceptable measure, stressing that any changes to RTSH should be built on dialogue and with respect for editorial independence. “Suggestions for closure or privatization are unacceptable and undermine the importance of a public television that provides impartial information to citizens,” said an AGSh representative.
