The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has called on Kosovo’s parliamentarians to stop pressing public broadcaster RTK for favourable media coverage and allow its professionals do their job.

In a letter to the Chairman and all members of the Kosovo Assembly, EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre said she had been informed of an increase in attempts from all political parties to secure privileged treatment on RTK.

“While such attempts may be understandable, especially during an election year, they are not acceptable,” she wrote in the letter, which was copied to the country’s prime minister and deputy prime minister. “A public service broadcaster exists to do what its name says, to serve the public – not any specific political parties or interest groups.”

Ms Deltenre recalled that less than two years ago, the entire membership of the EBU unanimously adopted six core values of public service media: universality, independence, excellence, diversity, accountability and innovation.

“One of the most important of these – perhaps the most important – is independence, in particular editorial independence.,” she said.

Ms Deltenre said RTK’s programmes and studios should be open to representatives from all sectors of Kosovo society including minorities and legitimate political parties and their representatives. But she said it was for RTK and its journalists to decide when and how issues should be covered, and who should appear on their programmes.

“In summary, my message is simple,” said Ms Deltenre, “leave the professionals of RTK in peace to do their job according to the principles and values of independent public service media.“

RTK was established by the EBU in 1999 following the Kosovo War at the request of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Despite a shoe-string budget, it has achieved ratings which compare very favourably with those of other public broadcasters in Europe. Last year it launched a second channel for Kosovo’s Serb minority, and further channels – for news and children’s programming – are at the planning stage.

Ms Deltenre urged the Assembly to give RTK the political and financial support it needs. She also urged it to assign formally to RTK the physical assets it inherited from its predecessor, Radio Television Pristina.

“Only when this has happened will RTK have legal security and its managers the freedom to manage as efficiently as they should,” she said.

Read the full text

EBU guidelines and principles