Prime Minister Rama said that no media had published the reaction of a public figure like Gazheli, who described as slander and blackmail the accusations against him for favoring persons with criminal records, after a fine for tax evasion on a business.

“Nothing is personal, but based on logics and principles. No defamation law! No law on media insults No trial with the media and journalists! Reactions in Albanian as they rightly deserve in these cases, no! What about the complaint about the right to publish reactions after an attack?! It seems strange to me!”, said Rama after News24 said in its editorial that it is only publishing facts and arguments.

“I didn’t even just talk about this media group that releases “facts” of 2016, as its owner is fined for hiding significant income in his business! I was talking about all the media, because this freedom of the media without the right of reply for them stinks!,” Prime Minister Rama continued his reaction.

“As to the “facts” in quotes or without quotes, of course the Albanian Customs Directorate can and should make its official clarifications, but it is one thing to report the facts and it is another to launch a personal attack on the director of the institution, after receiving a legal punishment for evasion !”, he expressed.

“I made myself clear without taking sides. On the contrary, I said that whoever is the victim of a defamation or the target of a legitimate accusation, should have the minimum right to publish his opinion! And as can be seen here, this does not happen, it is the same old story!”, concluded Rama.
/r.e/sm/