"Vetting" addresses in its next episode the copyright crisis in Albania and the role of "Albautor", an institution that has been accused for years of lack of transparency, selective distribution and abuse of creators' funds.
The scandal with the iconic song "Mora fështe" by Naim Gjoshi, widely heard at every celebration, national team match, wedding or public broadcast, but with minimal income for the author, essentially exposes a system that has turned copyright into a bureaucratic farce and a source of profit for others.
Well-known artists such as Gjergj Leka, Osman Mula, Aleksandër Peçi, Zef Çoba, Redon Makashi and Markelian Kapedani publicly denounce that their work, the nation's musical heritage, is being misused and rewarded in a humiliating way. The income they receive for a year, despite numerous broadcasts on radio, television, digital platforms and events, is around 100 euros per year, very ridiculous for great authors who have left their mark on Albanian culture.
Lawyers and experts in the field emphasize that this situation constitutes a direct violation of the law "On Copyright and Related Rights", which obliges collective organizations to publish the distribution methodology, income reports and independent financial audits. Albautor, AKDIE, FMAA and FABER operate in the market, while SUADA, charged with collecting single fees, is reported to have no regional capacities and no full transparency on the way in which income is distributed.
The audits of the Ministry of Culture for the years 2022-2023 have identified repeated violations: administrative expenses exceeding the legal limit of 30% of the remuneration, balance sheets submitted without timely external audit, unjustified delays in payments and lack of deposit of undistributed funds in the special fund defined by law. The SAI, in its reports, has confirmed serious shortcomings in market monitoring and in the real division of income between authors.
The cases of the songs “Mora fëlëse” and “Xhamadani vija-vija”, used publicly without authorization or without fair compensation for the authors, are only the tip of the iceberg of a systematic abuse that has undermined the meaning of copyright in Albania. International agreements signed by Albautor with objects beyond the approved license today require immediate legal review.
The Ministry of Culture is now demanding an update of statutes, clarification of mandates and increased transparency in every link of the system. Meanwhile, artists are demanding not only fair redistribution, but a restoration of creative dignity, full control of the music market, public reporting of every fee collected and rewards that truly reflect the use of the work.
At the heart of the scandal that "Vetting" brings on Thursday at 20:00 PM with documents, official letters, and direct testimony from the authors, lies a simple but fundamental message: without transparency there is no dignity, and without dignity there is no creative continuity.
