The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Albanian affiliates (AGSH, AEJ Albania, and APJ Albania) and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) in demanding an immediate end to the state police blockade of the Focus Media Group, which operates the News24 TV channel, BalkanWeb, Panorama, and Gazeta Shqiptare.

On 9 August, the police operation included preventing media workers from entering the building and cutting off the electricity, disrupting News24’s broadcast signal without prior notice or legal order. This incident took place within the context of a broader commercial dispute between the owner of News24 media and a state-owned arms company.

As a result, News24 has been forced to broadcast via YouTube for three days and is protesting today, a protest fully supported by the EFJ.

“While we are aware that the property is the subject of a dispute between the owners of News24 and the Albanian state, we believe this does not legitimise the presence of police forces and the unilateral interruption of the broadcast signal,” condemned Isa Myzyraj Chairman Association of Journalists of Albania (AGSH), while mentioning other forms of pressure targeting other businesses of the media owner.

The Albanian branch of the Association of European Journalists (AEJ Albania) and the Association “Professional Journalists of Albania”(APJ Albania) also called on the full restoration of the journalists’ access to their workplaces and working conditions, while questioning the legality of such measures.

“No media outlet should suffer a blackout or interruption to its editorial services without prior notice or a legal order. We urge the authorities to take immediate action to fully restore the media’s operational capabilities, including News24 signal broadcast, and to provide a legal justification for denying the public access to media content. The EFJ also stand in full solidarity with the journalists’ protests and call on the authorities to respect their right to protest,” said EFJ President Maja Sever.