Parliamentary Session starts with “Vetting” and a new law against media
20/08/2016 00:00
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The new Parliamentary session is expected to start with the procedures
of the “vetting” law, from the meetings of the Special Commission for
Justice Reform, to the Conference of Chairmen who will decide for the
date when they will vote it.
However, the opposition has found another problematic part of the law that is expected to spurr harsh debates. It is about Article 13 of the law for the activity of the Prosecution in the fight against corruption. The opposition says this law makes way for an unprecedented censorship against the media, since the law foresees punishments for journalists.
The purpose of Article 13 was to create a protection layer for Special Prosecutors, so that they don’t fall prey of blackmails. Article 6.3 seems to have the same purpose, but for common Prosecutors.
“Any pressure on Prosecutors exerted through public authority, media outlets or through any other person who may damage the independence of Prosecutors, will be punished as the law provides”, says Article 6.
The Vice Chairman of the Special Commission for the Justice Reform, Oerd Bylykbashi, says that the DP will oppose this law too. The law was made part of the draft law and was discussed when the opposition was not present in the meetings.
Bylykbashi says this new law that damages the media freedom will be unable to pass. The two articles were included just a few days ago by the American experts of OPDAT.
The DP won the first battle for this since Fatmir Xhafaj, Chairman of the Special Commission for the Justice Reform, admitted for Top Channel that the formulation is problematic and leaves room for doubts, although its purpose is not to limit the media freedom.
Top Channel
