TIRANA, May 22 /ATA/ Democratic Party lawmaker Jorida Tabaku, who chairs the parliamentary committee on Human Rights and Public Information, met on Friday with OSCE Representative on Media Freedom Jan Braathu to discuss the state of the media in Albania and the serious challenges facing freedom of expression.
Democratic Party lawmaker Jorida Tabaku said she discussed with OSCE representative Jan Braathu the threats and attacks against journalists, the need for genuine editorial and political independence, and the role of public media in countering disinformation.
Tabaku expressed concern that Albania’s EU integration process is frequently referred to as a justification for expediting the passage of significant legislation without genuine consultation disregarding the democratic standards.
During the meeting, the MP reaffirmed her commitment to reforming Albania’s media legal framework, including the drafting of a new media law and the introduction of legislation against SLAPP actions, aimed at safeguarding journalists and protecting media freedom from legal pressure and intimidation.
Tabaku stressed that Albania is facing a more challenging environment today than in previous years, affecting not only the media but democratic standards overall. She underlined that the country stands at a decisive crossroads.
According to her, the European integration process cannot remain a mere bureaucratic exercise or a paper‑based procedure. It must be genuine, tangible, credible for citizens. Achieving this requires free institutions, independent media, and democratic standards that are implemented in practice, not confined to official reports,” Tabaku emphasized.
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