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Eu Reporter in action to clean up Veliaj's image/ Journalist Isa Myzyraj reveals the editor-in-chief's response

2025-07-03 09:59:00, Aktualitet CNA

Eu Reporter in action to clean up Veliaj's image/ Journalist Isa Myzyraj

Following the publication of an article by Eu Reporter, which highlighted that the mayor of Tirana was being held in prison without charge, following the reaction from CNA and the release of data or comments made by Artificial Intelligence, "Ora Neës" journalist Isa Myzyraj wrote a letter to Colin Stevens, the publisher and editor-in-chief of EU Reporter.

Journalist Isa Myzyraj asked his colleague Colin Stevens, who replied that it was not a journalistic article, it was not an investigation, it was not a professional article, it was sent to the editorial office by a law firm.

So, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Eu Reporter himself admits that this article has nothing to do with journalism or investigation, but is simply a PR stunt for Veliaj, who will have a hearing at the High Court on July 8 and has launched the war, as he did earlier after his arrest, a campaign of media attacks on prosecutors, using media paid for by the incinerators or those paid for by him and his brother Arbër Veliaj.

Below you will find Isa Myzyraj's article and the response of the publisher and editor-in-chief of EU Reporter:

On June 30, 2025, the Brussels-based EU Reporter portal published an article titled:

"Erion Veliaj, Mayor of Tirana, held without charge for past five months" a headline that raised serious allegations about the detention without charges of the former mayor of Tirana, while the case against him is still under active investigation by SPAK and in the hands of the Albanian justice system.

In his official email response, Colin Stevens, publisher and editor-in-chief of EU Reporter, acknowledged that:

“The article was not the result of an independent investigation by our editorial staff. It consisted of an open letter from Mr. Veliaj’s mother, accompanied by a legal report prepared by the law firm Mishcon de Reya.”

Essentially, the article, published as an informative text, did not contain any independently verified sources by the media itself. Asked whether it had sought a reaction from SPAK or the Albanian courts to provide a balanced presentation of the event, the answer was:

"No, Albanian institutions were not approached for comment at that stage."

This is a serious violation of the basic principle of balance and fact-checking, essential to any ethical reporting in journalism. When a media outlet publishes serious allegations without hearing the other side, it does not help inform the public, but directly affects the perception of a legal process that has not yet taken final shape.

Legitimization through the name of a law firm

In an attempt to justify the publication, Stevens writes:

“The information was provided to us by Mishcon de Reya, one of the world’s most renowned human rights law firms. This gave us assurance about the credibility of the concerns raised.”

But the reputation of a law firm cannot replace basic journalistic due diligence standards.

Lawyers represent the interests of the client, not the objective truth, and any of their claims should be subject to professional scrutiny by journalists.

An emotional letter instead of journalism

The centerpiece of the article was the letter from Erion Veliaj's mother, an emotional text appealing to the public for mercy and intervention. Asked whether the ethical impact of this publication on a still-open judicial process was discussed, EU Reporter says:

“Yes, there was an editorial discussion. We decided to publish it believing that the public interests in human rights and judicial processes outweighed the concerns.”

But a letter from a family member does not represent investigation, analysis, or reporting. In the absence of alternative sources, this becomes an instrument of public pressure on the justice system./ CNA





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