The regional network SafeJournalists condemned the actions of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who tried to touch journalist Ambrozia Meta's cheek at today's press conference, to whom he did not answer questions. Some media reported that Rama pushed the journalist away.
The network's announcement states that Rama's attempt to touch the journalist's cheek after remarking to her questions that "ignorance is not an argument" is unacceptable and alarming and that such behavior is a direct threat to the principles of "transparency and accountability on which a democratic society is based."
"This incident is just part of a troubling pattern in which Rama shows disdain for journalists, especially women, who ask demanding questions. Rama's history of avoiding questions, along with accompanying actions such as banning journalists from press conferences and demands for 're-education,' emphasize the prime minister's disrespect for media freedom and journalistic integrity," Bezbjedni journalists announced.
The network demands that Rama issue a public apology to the Meta journalists and the media community and states that they will inform the relevant national and international stakeholders about this case.
"Every attack on journalists is an attack on the public interest, democracy and the rights of all citizens," the statement said.
As can be seen in the video published on social networks, Rama grabbed the face of a journalist who asked him a question about an investment project in the areas of Sazan and Zvernec (linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump), causing her to step back. .
Albanian media reported that the journalist told Rama "please, don't touch me anymore".
After the incident, Rama took to the X social network, saying that he had nothing to apologize for.
"Not only did nothing even close to aggression happen, but all questions were patiently answered (despite a few unethical intrusions), in a normal conversation with journalists, and I left after a friendly greeting?!", he wrote, adding that everything you can see in the video, as well as that a dozen journalists and cameramen were eyewitnesses to the event.
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