PRISTINA, 05.03.2021 – The Association of Journalists of Kosovo – AJK, considers extremely disturbing the statements of the President of the Alternative for Change, Shqipërim Arifi, towards the correspondent of Radio Television of Kosovo in the Presevo Valley, Baki Rexhepi.
Arifi last night during an interview on a Kosovo television, accused Rexhepi of being a corrupt person and therefore does not declare himself for RTK, adding that there are facts about what he is talking about.
“No, I do not give interviews to RTK in the first place, first of all…. I boycott RTK, because the RTK correspondent in Presevo is a corrupt person… I have evidence for this, it is not a problem ,I have also informed RTK about this, but they have not taken any measures, I boycott RTK, let alone the local media, which for me personally slander incessantly”, he declared.
Regarding this statement, AJK has contacted the director of RTK, Festim Kabashi, who stated that he has not received any complaints about the correspondent, Baki Rexhepi.
“Since the beginning of my term as director of RTK-TV, (03.11.2020) I have not received any complaint from the chairman of Alternative for Change, Mr. Shqiprim Arifi, for any incorrect reporting or engagement of any journalist or correspondent of RTK ”.
The reaction of our colleague, Baki Rexhepi, was immediate, describing the accusations as extremely serious and that do not correspond at all to the truth. Moreover, Rexhepi has stated that he has always been boycotted as a journalist by Mr. Shqipërim Arifi.
Rexhepi, requesting a reaction from the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, informed that he has already started to pursue all legal avenues against the statements of Mr. Arifi, who according to him with this accusation has tarnished his personal dignity and damaged his integrity and his professional credibility.
AJK asks of Mr. Shqiprim Arifi to apologize for the language used against our colleague and to address all of the grievances through the judiciary.