Albanian MPs to Prepare for Digital Era

OSCE

30 January 2007

Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, urged Albanian parliamentarians today to ensure that media regulation takes into account the abundance of channels that digital television transmission enables as they prepare licencing regulations.

"Albania has made progress in the field of media freedom but some challenges remain," Haraszti told members of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Media of the Assembly of Albania during a study visit to Vienna.

"Albania has shown a strong political will to shape media laws in accordance with international standards. Where regulation is necessary, I call on you to do it in the least intrusive manner. The results will not only benefit the press, but also the voters and politicians."

Today was the last day of the two-day study visit, organized by Haraszti's office and the OSCE Presence in Albania. The visit included discussions on media freedom, defamation, libel, access to information, media self-regulation and the need to ensure sufficient separation between media and authorities.

Haraszti also called on the Albanian Assembly to consider proposed changes to anti-defamation provisions and amendments to the electronic media law as outlined in legal reviews commissioned by his office.

The OSCE, both through the Office of the Representative and the Presence in Albania, is ready to assist Albanian parliamentarians in developing media legislation.