Editor in chief of BIRN, Besar Likmeta said on Euronews Albania’s ‘Morning’ that he’s been faced with people, who have tried to corrupt him about his articles or investigations.

The journalist underlined that corruption in Albania exists in a myriad of different fields and that we all face it on a daily basis.

“Yes, but this is something that could have happened to almost all Albanian journalists and many citizens. Unfortunately, corruption in Albania has turned into an endemic system and something we are all faced with, from doctors to journalists. If we just close our eyes and say it doesn’t exist then we’re not being honest,” – said Likmeta.

In addition, he also noted that public institutions in Albania hesitate to provide journalists with information.

“Mismanagement of public funds requires a long-term investigation by journalists and editors. Wherever there is mismanagement, there will be resistance from public institutions. It’s true that there is a definite hermeticism of public institutions in Albania. There’s a centralization of information when it comes to a public agency like the Agency for Media and Information which has been compared to a ministry of propaganda. This shouldn’t stop journalists or hold them back,” – he said.