Democratic Party MP Jorida Tabaku presented today in Parliament her legal proposal for amending the Criminal Code, which aims to decriminalize defamation and strengthen legal protection for journalists. In her speech, Tabaku placed the debate beyond a technical change, describing it as a fundamental issue directly related to freedom of expression, the functioning of democracy and the European integration process.
Speaking from the Parliament podium, Tabaku emphasized that the initiative is the product of several months of work with experts, journalists, activists and lawyers, and comes at a time when the media environment in Albania, according to her, is under constant political and legal pressure. She recalled that although the previous defamation law was banned due to pressure from the opposition and international partners, the real situation of media freedom remains problematic.
In her argument, the DP MP referred to international reports to illustrate Albania's regression in this area. According to data from "Reporters Without Borders", Albania has dropped from 34th place in 2004 to 99th place in 2024. "From 34th place to 99th place - this is a clear picture of the degradation of media freedom", said Tabaku, linking this decline to the capture of the media by the interests of power, the oligarchy and organized crime.
Tabaku also brought to attention the V-Dem index data, which classifies Albania as an “electoral autocracy,” underlining the decline in the freedom of expression index over the last decade. According to her, the problem is no longer limited to direct censorship, but to the use of criminal law as a tool of pressure and intimidation against journalists.
An important part of her speech was dedicated to the concrete situation of journalists on the ground. Tabaku mentioned cases of threats, pressure and violence, emphasizing that during 2024 alone, dozens of serious incidents against media representatives were recorded, with a worrying focus on female journalists. She described this reality as unacceptable for a NATO member country and candidate for the European Union.
In this context, Tabaku argued that Articles 119 and 120 of the Criminal Code, which provide for penalties for defamation and insult, have become a mechanism of intimidation for investigative journalism. According to her, these provisions create what European jurisprudence calls a “chilling effect,” encouraging self-censorship and serving the protection of corruption, not the public interest.
The DP MP's legal proposal provides for two main pillars: on the one hand, removing defamation and insult from the Criminal Code and treating them as civil matters, through compensation and refutation; on the other hand, strengthening criminal protection for journalists, by toughening penalties for violence, threats or obstruction due to duty.
Tabaku directly linked this initiative to Albania’s constitutional and European obligations, emphasizing that freedom of expression is one of the key conditions of “Cluster 1 – Fundamentals” in the integration process. She recalled that European standards and the practice of countries in the region and the EU have long since shifted the protection of reputation from the criminal to the civil sphere.
In conclusion, the DP MP emphasized that the amendment is not a party flag, but an initiative in service of the public. “It is a law to protect the right of citizens to know,” she declared, turning the vote on this proposal into a clear choice between preserving the status quo and approaching European democratic standards.
