The Commercial Court of Kosovo has approved Klan Kosova’s lawsuit to postpone the execution of the decisions suspending its business license.
The medium is to function until there is a conclusion to trial of this case.
On July 28, the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade (MINT) confirmed the suspension of Klan Kosova’s business license. MINT notified Kosovar citizens on the matter through a social media post.
“The Commission’s decision states that the Business Registration Agency of Kosovo (ARBK), in the first instance, decided in accordance with the law when it suspended the business certificate of Klan Kosova. ARBK’s reasoning for suspending the certificate was that, in the registration documents of the company that owns the business, ‘KGO Media Invest DOOEL’, the municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo are presented as cities of Serbia, which constitutes a violation of the Constitution. The very fact that the representatives of Klan Kosova, after so many years, have started steps for correction, proves that the business in question had committed the violation found by ARBK and that the decision to suspend the business certificate was rightfully taken,” stated the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade.
This was not well-received from the medium’s as they contested this decision and sued MINT.
The Association of Journalists in Kosovo and members of the civil society protested on July 31 in Pristina against what they called “the Government’s control over media”.
Even QUINT countries (United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and France) expressed concern over the case. In a joint statement, ambassadors of these countries said they away a “fair and transparent trial to resolve the issue”.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti declared on June 29 that law enforcement against businesses that violate it for financial benefits, does not incline an attack against media freedom.
Therefore, in a ruling made on August 2, it is said that the execution of the decision is postponed until a final decision is made by the court on this case.
The Court decision is revealed to claim that “according to Registration Certificate no. ser. 10076953 and business information issued on 21.06.2023, Klan Kosova is a commercial company registered in Kosovo on 26.11.2008, with unique identification number 810795297, with headquarters in the Industrial Zone, former Absorber Factory, Pristina”.
In the decision, the court said that Klan Kosova has also made the necessary improvements for business registration.
However, the court has also set an appeal deadline for this decision within 15 days.
Klan Kosova has said that it has about 220 employees and hundreds of commercial contractors. It started broadcasting on February 17, 2009.
