Journalists in Kosovo staged a protest on Monday in support of Klan Kosova television in Pristina. This came after the Ministry of Industry decided to suspend the television station\u2019s business license last week.<\/p>\n
Carrying a large banner with the words \u201cdemocracy dies in darkness\u201d and constantly blowing whistles, the journalists marched from Zahir Pajaziti Square to Skanderbeg Square in the capital city.<\/p>\n
To show solidarity with Klan Kosova television, several media outlets placed their work equipment, including cameras, tripods, and microphones, on the ground.<\/p>\n
How did this situation unfold?<\/strong><\/p>\n On July 28, the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Trade (MINT) rejected Klan Kosova\u2019s appeal to reverse the revocation of its business certificate.<\/p>\n MINT had initially filed a criminal complaint against Klan Kosova on June 14, claiming that during the change of ownership, the company\u2019s business certificate listed \u201cPeja \u2013 Serbia and Gjakova \u2013 Serbia\u201d.<\/p>\n Afterwards, the Kosovo Business Registration Agency, ARBK, revoked Klan Kosova\u2019s business certificate, but later reinstated the suspension on June 22. However, a day later, ARBK revoked the June 21 decision.<\/p>\n This led to the reinstatement of the suspension of Klan Kosova\u2019s business certificate on June 22.<\/p>\n Klan Kosova immediately appealed to the Commission for the Review of Appeals for Business Registration. On July 28, the commission rejected the appeal and confirmed the suspension of the television station’s business certificate. The commission emphasized that ARBK had \u201cacted in accordance with the law when suspending Klan Kosova\u2019s business certificate\u201d.<\/p>\n The Ministry accused the television station of \u201cviolating the Constitution of Kosovo\u201d by \u201cpresenting two cities in Kosovo, Peja, and Gjakova, as part of Serbia\u201d in its registration documents.<\/p>\n MINT stated on July 28 that Klan Kosova had taken steps to correct the documentation, but the commission\u2019s decision was not in their favor. Klan Kosova argued that the decision was arbitrary and unacceptable to democratic societies and states based on the rule of law.<\/p>\n The Ministry reaffirmed that its commission had closed the case and upheld the suspension of Klan Kosova\u2019s business license. However, they also confirmed that Klan Kosova had the right to appeal the decision in the competent court.<\/p>\n The decision of the Ministry of Industry has sparked numerous reactions both within and outside the country.<\/p>\n Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union in Kosovo expressed \u201cdeep concern\u201d over MINT\u2019s decision to confirm the suspension of Klan Kosova\u2019s business license.<\/p>\n While President Vjosa Osmani called for the issue to be addressed \u201cby implementing the law, without interference, based on principles of impartiality and integrity\u201d, Prime Minister Albin Kurti defended the decision, stating that enforcing the law against businessmen who violate it for financial gains does not mean attacking media freedom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Journalists in Kosovo staged a protest on Monday in support of Klan Kosova television in Pristina. This came after the Ministry of Industry decided to suspend the television station\u2019s business license last week. Carrying a large banner with the words \u201cdemocracy dies in darkness\u201d and constantly blowing whistles, the journalists marched from Zahir Pajaziti Square […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":58076,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[163],"tags":[1251,1890,1252,3005,243,151,1253,336],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n