DUI (Democratic Union for Integration) officials are exerting constant pressure over Lajm daily newspaper; and in addition to that, the journalists of this newspaper are also under huge pressure from the Albanian governing party, claims a source form this newspaper. Civil received a letter stating the following: “Lajm is under constant pressure from DUI officials, who use various methods to obstruct the work of our newspaper. A Facebook profile under the name BDI-Uçk, called for a protest yesterday, and the reason for this has been said to be the column written by the newspaper’s director, Fejzi Hajdari, titled as “Picnic and Espionage”.

Civil managed to get in contact with the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Isen Salihu. He confirmed for us that, in the column in question, the journalist is criticizing DUI, claiming that their activists stand with Voters’ Lists and check people about which party they have voted for. “We face constant pressure from the governing party officials. Apart from that, officials of this party do not want to give official statements for our newspaper, nor do they publish statements or advertisements in our newspaper”, Salihu says.

“We are asking for your support in order to be able to overcome these forms of obstructions and pressure, and we ask from the relevant institutions to create conditions for uninterrupted work of Lajm’s journalists, in line with the Constitution and the laws” – is said in the letter.

Arbana Qerimi