Eni Vasili was elected as the new Director of Albanian Public Radio and Television (RTSH) on Friday, receiving seven out of 11 votes from the Board of Directors. Despite her election, Vasili’s platform has faced criticism, particularly from former RTSH Director Thoma Gëllçi, who raised concerns over her proposed changes.
Vasili, with a long career in media since 1997, has outlined a plan to transform RTSH into a joint-stock company with 100% state capital. Key points of her platform include changing the funding model, utilizing RTSH frequencies for private revenue generation, reducing or closing certain channels, and introducing a mobile app. She also proposes separating political channels, with one for the ruling party and one for the opposition.
However, Gëllçi criticized the idea of turning RTSH into a joint-stock company, arguing that it would reduce the institution’s independence and place it under government control. He also questioned the feasibility of generating income from frequencies, stating that RTSH only has two frequencies that are legally regulated.
Additionally, Gëllçi opposed the closure of channels and the proposed political division of the public broadcasters, warning that this would undermine pluralism and foster division rather than dialogue.
RTSH has been a focal point of political debate, especially following the resignation of Alfred Peza in September 2024. Peza’s controversial tenure was marked by numerous dismissals and accusations of political bias, and his replacement has raised concerns over the independence of the new RTSH Steering Council, many members of which have direct political ties.
Vasili’s leadership is now under scrutiny, with media organizations watching closely to see how her proposed changes will affect the independence and future direction of RTSH.