The incident with the journalist/ Rama: Innocent gesture, misleading interpretation of the video

2024-03-20 18:24:00, Aktualitet CNA

The incident with the journalist/ Rama: Innocent gesture, misleading

Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted again regarding the incident with journalist Ambrozia Meta, who claimed to have been pushed by the Prime Minister.

Through a long reaction on the X platform, Rama stated that it was an innocent gesture, a friendly pat on the shoulder after a normal conversation with the press.

The prime minister clarifies that the misleading interpretation of a video is given more weight than the accounts of the many and mostly female journalists who witnessed the alleged attack but were never asked about it, sensationalism taking precedence over accuracy.

Rama's reaction

Is this how information should work and honor the truth? To label a perfectly innocent gesture, such as a friendly pat on the back after a normal press chat where all questions were answered without any lack of patience, first as "aggression" and then as "intimidation" without asking the opinion of dozens of journalists present who were able to verify the event firsthand, not only does not serve the truth, but also shows a lack of respect for the real victims of aggression and intimidation in today's field of journalism. Furthermore, when a totally outlandish misleading interpretation of a video is given more weight than the accounts of multiple and mostly female journalists who witnessed the alleged attack but were never asked about it, sensationalism takes precedence over accuracy.

Adding to the spectacle is the completely baseless claim that this alleged act of intimidation was provoked by questions about a project involving a relative of President Trump. Here's what I can say: First, I'm proud to lead a nation where, before my tenure, journalists faced live bullets, physical harm, ritual intimidation and systematic harassment. Since taking office, there has been a noticeable difference in ensuring that they do their job without any real problem, even when a few of them are constantly involved in fake news, false accusations and attacks on my family or the like for other members of the cabinet or parliament.

Second, having a well-known background in the trenches of free speech, when free speech could cost me my life, I have had my own learning curve in becoming patient even in the face of sometimes offensive unethical journalists. Never anything physical for God's sake, but they have been given some bluntly undiplomatic responses, which for good reason didn't really help my reputation among free press advocates and reporters. However, it's been a long time since any of them happened, and my commitment to direct, transparent and respectful communication has consistently guided my interactions with journalists, as I fully recognize their crucial role in keeping the public informed. As for this misplaced narrative of "punching", "pushing", "hitting", "aggression", "intimidation" (and various other characterizations of a friendly pat while leaving the press booth) that seems to have taken a lifetime from him, it seems that I have no course of action left to influence./ CNA