We, the undersigned, call on the Assembly of Kosovo to suspend the work of the ad hoc committees responsible for selecting board members of the public broadcaster RTK and the Independent Media Commission (IMC), due to violations of fundamental principles of transparency, integrity, professionalism, and legality.
These committees should resume their work only after ensuring standards that enable fair, professional, merit-based, and transparent processes.
So far, the ad hoc committee for the selection of RTK board members has repeatedly violated these principles.
The process has been marked by a serious lack of transparency. Cameras were removed precisely at the moment when the committee discussed the methodology and reviewed candidates’ application files, limiting public access to information of high public interest. No personal data was discussed—only technical aspects of the applications, such as whether candidates had submitted complete documentation. Therefore, there was no justification for closing the meeting to the media.
During the closed session, the RTK ad hoc committee applied inconsistent standards in reviewing applications. Initially, it was decided that candidates who failed to submit complete documentation would be disqualified, as they had already been given a second opportunity to do so. However, during the review of certain candidates, it was found that some had not even submitted basic documents such as a CV, despite this second chance. In these cases, the committee arbitrarily changed its methodology, granting additional opportunities without justification. While some candidates were clearly favored, at least one candidate was unlawfully excluded.
Regarding the interview process, previous practice required MPs to prepare questions in advance and ask the same questions to all candidates to ensure equal treatment. In this case, however, the committee’s support unit was tasked with drafting a pool of questions, from which each MP would select only three—creating room for unequal treatment and a lack of standardized evaluation. This methodology was then changed again just minutes before interviews began.
Furthermore, the committee allocated only two days to interview 75 candidates—around 37 per day—giving each candidate just 15 minutes. This is insufficient time for candidates to present their vision for serving on the RTK board or to meaningfully respond to MPs’ questions.
The process was further undermined by the fact that candidates were notified less than 12 hours before their interviews, severely limiting their ability to prepare. Additionally, MPs received application files on a Friday, but were on recess until Tuesday, April 14, leaving them with no real opportunity to review the materials. This led opposition MPs to withdraw from committee meetings during the preparation phase.
The situation regarding the selection of members of the Independent Media Commission is even more concerning. The ad hoc committee has failed to convene due to a lack of quorum, while some MPs had not even received application files as late as 6:00 PM on April 14.
We believe that the rush by the ruling party, Vetëvendosje, to complete these appointments at any cost—without allowing sufficient time for preparation, using unclear methodologies, setting inappropriate deadlines, and excluding media oversight—sends a clear signal of the risk of political capture of these institutions.
We therefore call on the ruling party to suspend these processes and ensure that such procedures are conducted within a reasonable timeframe, with full transparency, equal standards for all candidates, and without any form of favoritism. Only a fair and credible process can guarantee independent institutions that serve the public interest.
Signed by:
Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK)
FOL Movement
Kosovo Law Institute (KLI)
Flutura Kusari – Media law expert and activist