Public reaction to the newspaper slander “Kosova Sot”

Public reaction to the newspaper slander “Kosova Sot”

Public reaction to the newspaper slander “Kosova Sot”

Friday September 11, 2015 – Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) has reacted against the published article in newspaper “Kosova Sot” of date August 31, 2015, cover and inside pages 4 and 5, with the title “The memorandum between KPC and KLI has sparked debate in the State Prosecution “and the title It is suspected that the memorandum was done to favor the preferred of Kabashi for new chief prosecutor” by the author Etleva Skonja.

This reaction is not published by the newspaper “Kosova Sot”, violating all rules and procedures defined by the Press Council in Kosovo. In the latter, KLI has addressed a complaint against “Kosova Sot” to follow and respect all roads to prove slander of this newspaper. Find next general reaction of KLI about the libelous article accompanying documents of this writing, which can be downloaded here: libelous article scanned and slander and concrete violations of the Code of Press Media of Kosovo.

Whole article contains slander of the lowest, inaccuracies, stripping from the context of all the events, misinterpretations, difference, setting, commentary, distortion of information, imagination reporting, deliberate conspiracy, compilation of writing, disinformation of readers and manipulation of public opinion.

Slanders presented in the article are low, unfounded and no argumentation that for intention have discrediting of high reputation that KLI has in the field of rule of law, for the access of research reports/analytical highly professional and constructive and complete independence in exercising of supervision of the public institutions focusing on the justice system.

The article in each sentence refers to anonymous sources, staging nonexistent reality, and with the sole intention to discredit the KLI and readers of this newspaper to serve untrue stories.

Evolving of each slander in this article it is impossible in this reaction; therefore the KLI will prepare in detail all the slanders to offer them to the competent parties.

KLI supports strongly and encourages investigative journalism in all cases when through professional work and impartial reveals information’s that a criminal offense was done, and contributes to its finding.   In the case of the mentioned article, KLI doesn’t allow and does not remain silent in front of slanders and speculations, when being target of unscrupulous attacks by a newspaper, which through its tendentious articles, unfounded arguments or evidence and based on conspiracy theories sponsored or fabricated by certain individuals. The author of the article on every word that has built up in this article against the KLI has slandered and has seriously speculated.  Despite the fact that the author in the answer given by the KLI, it is explained that how is respected positive legislation and the Memorandum of Cooperation with KPC, she slandered again and speculated in every sentence, taking the role of judge, determining violations of the memorandum.

KLI has offered all the necessary arguments to the author of slandered article, but that was not enough to see reality as it is, but has continued with slander and speculation. Among the dozens slander and speculations, referring sources from the State Prosecutor, slanders and seriously speculates, about claims for material benefits of the State Prosecutor officials from the KLI funds. Author slanders are unimaginable, without argument, without any evidence that who has benefited, from whom has benefited, and how much has benefited etc…This falls in contradiction with all professional and ethical standards of journalism profession and violates Article II (Reporting the truth) of the Code of Press Media of Kosovo. All received funds for the KLI activities are funds that circulate exclusively through bank transactions and the same subject to independent external audit in accordance with the law. Among other things, the author of this slandered article, mentions Mr. Kujtim Kerveshi as Director of the KLI. KLI was founded on February 2009 and Mr. Kujtim Kerveshi has never exercised the function of executive director of the KLI. This is a deliberate speculation of the author of article, pretending to camouflage her article through anonymous sources, as in concrete case “sources close with the KPC”.

The author of the article continues with slander of type as “Memorandum without concurs and ordered, other NGOs were ignored”.  With this the author proves that it is ignorant of the journalism field, as it has not taken the effort to make a simple reading of the Action Plan, to understand the truth or her last purpose is to consciously serve for the purposes for which it has decided to slander in this article. If author reads Article 13 of the Action Plan will understand that KPC will sign cooperation memorandums with NGOs interested and with expertize regarding the external evaluation of the implementation of the Action Plan. So, this public appeal through the Action Plan has responded the KLI, as specialized tank and proved in the field of rule of law. There were no restrictions for any other NGOs to express interest and sign such a memorandum. All these arguments were not enough for the author, which has slandered and speculated everything on conspiracy theories only to discredit the KLI. Author slanders continue through its anonymous source, pretending on the deadlines for providing information about corruption cases from the KLI. As for the public information, KLI has provided information and documents in accordance with positive legislation, the Law on Access to Public Documents, which dominates every memorandum, not only in the KPC but also in other public institutions.

Slanders continue with the conspiracy theory, without offering any argument and evidence regarding the content of reports published by the KLI. KLI reports are as result of monitoring performance of the prosecutorial system, through provided information’s by the KPC itself and prosecutions of all levels. KLI in any report has not labeled or promote any particular prosecutor, as has informed the public and the citizens of Kosovo regarding the performance of each prosecutor, prosecutorial system and judicial system regarding the achievements and their failures on fighting of corruption. The author and her slander source, speculate regarding publication of the names that have been subject of prosecutorial decisions, while should offer arguments and evidence on which of the five periodic reports of KLI, is published even a personal data of any person. Since there was no possibility, author referred to the slander source, although this can be verified very easily, with only a reading of the periodic reports of KLI. The author, citizen of the Republic of Albania, which serves under the guise of journalist in Kosovo, proves that doesn’t have basic knowledge to differentiate the work done in monitoring the implementation of the Action Plan by the KLI and the nature of work in the implementation of the program “Oath for Justice”. As for the public information, the author and slander source, in this emission, its author, on April 2014 has invited for public debate prosecutor Drita Hajdari, which is a public person and which performs the function of the prosecutor, to debate about the fight against corruption in Kosovo. The same, has refused to debate, in the moment when she was informed that will be discussing one of its unlawful decision, through which she had amnestied about half a million euros in taxes. The author of slander article, publication of the prosecutors name Drita Hajdari attributes it to the report. As for the public information, I repeat that in any report of KLI never was published any name any personal data of anyone. This is not the first time that Kosova Sot slanders against KLI. In the same way in 2012, exactly the author Skonja had slandered in two whole articles. She quoted from a KLI roundtable, five (5) participants of the roundtable, which had derived entirely from the context slandering intentionally in whole against KLI. The same apostrophized officials in the slandered articles had reacted for the slanders of this journalist-reaction that possesses the KLI-and the same were handed to Kosova Sot, but where never published.

KLI will continue to monitor and report on all findings in the public institutions to realize its mission for respecting the rule of law, despite slanders and speculations of Kosova Sot articles or certain prosecutors, whose performance can cover the entire newspaper pages with violating the law and damages that they caused to the justice system and the state budget.