Following the letter of concern issued by SafeJournalists Network (SJN) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) regarding labor rights violations at the media company ORA sh.a. in Albania, the Regional Directorate of the State Labor and Social Services Inspectorate in Tirana has officially responded.
In their response, the Inspectorate indicated that upon inspection, ORA sh.a. provided documentation confirming the voluntary resignation of several employees. Consequently, the Inspectorate concluded that the case does not fulfill the conditions required by Albanian law to qualify as a collective dismissal.
Nonetheless, ORA sh.a. was found to have committed several violations:
- Failure to present complete documentation regarding employment termination procedures for certain employees.
- Non-payment of mandatory social and health contributions for employees covering the period from October 2022 to February 2025. The Inspectorate reported this violation to the General Directorate of Taxes, the responsible authority for taking enforcement measures.
- Incomplete evidence of salary payments, specifically, missing the required payroll list accompanying the presented payment orders, constitutes a violation under the Albanian Labor Code.
- The Inspectorate clarified that bankruptcy procedures fall within the jurisdiction of the National Bankruptcy Agency, but underscored that employee claims remain a priority, even in bankruptcy situations.
The Inspectorate emphasized that it has fulfilled its oversight mandate and advised that further disputes should be resolved through judicial procedures.
To date, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, the Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA), the Agency for the Administration of Seized and Confiscated Assets (AAPSK), and the Ombudsman have not yet responded to the letter of concern. SafeJournalists Network continues to monitor the situation closely.
For the official response from the Labour Inspectorate, click here.