{"id":13108,"date":"2021-07-27T09:07:17","date_gmt":"2021-07-27T09:07:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/levizjafol.org\/?p=13108\/"},"modified":"2021-10-11T09:10:53","modified_gmt":"2021-10-11T09:10:53","slug":"civil-society-response-to-confidentiality-requests-by-the-ad-hoc-commission-for-the-selection-of-parts-of-the-media-complaint-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/levizjafol.org\/en\/civil-society-response-to-confidentiality-requests-by-the-ad-hoc-commission-for-the-selection-of-parts-of-the-media-complaint-board\/","title":{"rendered":"Civil Society Response to Confidentiality Requests by the Ad-Hoc Commission for the Selection of Parts of the Media Complaint Board\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prishtina, 27 July 2021 – The ad-hoc committee of the Assembly of Kosovo for the selection of the member of the Media Complaints Board has requested a meeting yesterday from the civil society representatives, who are following the process of selecting a member of the Board, to sign the Confidentiality Agreement (see appendix 1)<\/p>\n

We, the civil society organizations and the activists written below, strongly oppose the initiative of the deputies through which it is attempted to silence the civil societies and the activists. The restrictions set forth in this Confidentiality Agreement are illegal, severely infringe on the public’s right to information, and impede the work of civil society.<\/p>\n

The Confidentiality Agreement stipulates, inter alia, that civil society representatives may not openly discuss or publish materials related to candidates as well as the progress of the process during the process (and contains significant restrictions that would apply once the process is completed).<\/p>\n

Although we believe that we need to maintain the integration of the process, the Confidentiality Agreement is illegal. Law no. 04 \/ L-44 on the Independent Media Commission stipulates that \u201c[a] members of the Appeals Board shall be appointed by the Assembly of Kosovo on the basis of open and transparent procedures\u201d (Article 38 (1)). This provision prevents the ad hoc Commission’s harmful tendencies for member selection procedures to be closed through confidentiality agreements. The conditionality of the participation of civil society representatives in the selection process with the signing of this agreement violates the legal requirement that the procedure be open and transparent, preventing civil society representatives from expressing themselves freely regarding eventual findings.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the mission of civil society organizations and activists is to monitor the work of public authorities, to inform the public about monitoring findings, and hold politicians and people in power accountable for their actions. By forcing organizations and activists to sign such illegal agreements, the Assembly will disable the work of organizations and deprive the public of the right to be informed.<\/p>\n

As such, this requirement prevents civil society organizations from performing one of the basic functions of their mission, which is to monitor the work of public institutions and to keep the public informed.<\/p>\n

The Assembly of Kosovo is in the process of selecting a member of the Media Complaints Board of the Independent Media Commission (IMC). The selection will be made by the Ad-Hoc commission of the Assembly of Kosovo for the selection of the member of the Media Complaints Board composed of: M\u00ebrgim Lushtaku and Floret\u00eb Zejnullahu (Democratic Party of Kosovo) and the members Valon Ramadani, Doarsa Kica Xhelili, Njazi Isaku, Fitim Haziri and Besim Muzaqi (L\u00ebvizja Vet\u00ebvendosje), Agim Veliu (Democratic League of Kosovo), Time Kadriaj (Alliance for the Future of Kosovo), Igor Simic (Serbian List) and Samra Iljazi (Group Multiethnic). The illegal agreement was proposed and sent for signature by email to several organizations after the first meeting of the ad-hoc commission held on July 26, 2021. The agreement was proposed by the chairman of ad-hoc commission M\u00ebrgim Lushtaku and was not opposed by any of the other members of the Ad-Hoc Committee present.<\/p>\n

We request that the above-mentioned deputies of the ad hoc Committee of the Assembly of Kosovo for the selection of a member of the Media Complaints Board withdraw from this initiative and allow civil society organizations and activists to monitor freely.<\/p>\n

Signatory organizations and activists:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. AMPEK<\/li>\n
  2. Ardita Metaj Dika<\/li>\n
  3. Center for Education and Training Prizren<\/li>\n
  4. D+<\/li>\n
  5. Flutura Kusari<\/li>\n
  6. Kosovar Foundation for Civil Society<\/li>\n
  7. GERMIN<\/li>\n
  8. GLPS<\/li>\n
  9. GAP<\/li>\n
  10. KDI<\/li>\n
  11. QPA<\/li>\n
  12. PIPS<\/li>\n
  13. Instituti EPIK<\/li>\n
  14. Instituti I Kosoves per Drejtesi<\/li>\n
  15. Klubi Albin Prishtina<\/li>\n
  16. L\u00ebvizja FOL<\/li>\n
  17. \u00a0OJQ \u201cVISION 02\u201d<\/li>\n
  18. Rrjeti i OJQ-ve, Demokracia Fillon K\u00ebtu (DFK)<\/li>\n
  19. YIHR KS<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Republika e Kosov\u00ebs – Republika Kosovo-Republic of Kosovo<\/p>\n

    Kuvendi \u2013 Skup\u0161tina \u2013 Assembly<\/p>\n

    Ad-Hoc commission for the selection of members of the Media Complaints Board<\/p>\n

    Confidentiality Agreement<\/p>\n

    This Confidentiality Agreement is an audible document that sets out the commitment of each individual to behave with integrity in their involvement in the appointment process.<\/p>\n

    Confidentiality Agreement<\/p>\n

    As an independent observer, a representative of civil society, I vow to:<\/p>\n

    Maintain the confidentiality of the candidate by:<\/p>\n