Kosovo Business Registration Agency (KBRA) has revoked the decision of June 21, which annulled the suspension of the business certificate of Klan Kosova television.

This decision reinstates the measure of suspending the business certificate of the private television station.

Klan Kosova expressed “surprise with this new decision of KBRA, within less than 24 hours since the first decision, and will take all legal steps to restore legality in this matter”.

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) said it has received the news of the annulment of the previous decision by KBRA with concern.

“AJK reaffirms that the new decision demonstrates the effort of the Self-Determination Government led by Prime Minister [Albin] Kurti to target media in Kosovo and to restrict media freedom, sending a warning message to other media outlets in the country,” an AJK Facebook statement said.

Following a criminal complaint filed by the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Trade against the commercial company Klan Kosova, KBRA revoked its business certificate on June 14.

Flutura Kusari, a media law jurist in Pristina said that the decision is political and should be strongly contested.

“The Government of Kosovo and the Self-Determination Movement continue their war in a failed and shameful attempt to shut down the national television station Klan Kosova,” Kusari wrote on Facebook.

The criminal complaint against the commercial company Klan Kosova was filed based on the claim that the business certificate listed “Peja – Serbia and Gjakova – Serbia” under the change of owners.

The Independent Media Commission (IMC), after a meeting held on June 16, had given a 30-day deadline to Klan Kosova television to fulfill the necessary business documentation at KBRA.

AJK has called for allowing time and avoiding pressure for the completion of the required documentation, awaiting a decision from the IMC.

The private national television station Klan Kosova began broadcasting on February 17, 2009.