Other threats to journalist Elton Abilekaj, 17.02.2025, Tirana

Tirana •︎ 17/02/2025

Other threats to journalist Elton Abilekaj, 17.02.2025, Tirana

Translations: Tirana 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Tirana
  • Who was attacked?
    Journalist
  • Gender
    Male
  • Victim(s) name
    Elton Abilekaj

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    Të Paekspozuarit - MCN TV
  • Type of media platform
    Radio
  • Source of information about the incident
    https://www.tpz.al/aktualitet/nuk-me-thua-dot-budalla-mua-se-te-kap-ne-shpulla-plas-debati-mes-valt-i277479

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    17.02.2025
  • City
    Tirana
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Not known
  • Attacked by
    Public person(s)
    By public official(s) and/or representative(s) of the executive power
  • Means of incidents and attacks
    In person
    Through media outlets (broadcast, print, online)
  • Type of incident
    Other threats to journalists
  • Type of threat
    Aggressive, harassing or discriminatory statements

  • Action by the authorities

  • Action taken by the journalists' association

  • Was journalist's association informed by the journalists directly?
    Unknown

Intense political polarization in Albania is increasingly shaping public debates, where personal attacks and aggressive rhetoric hinder journalists and independent voices from engaging in meaningful discourse. This trend was starkly evident on February 17, 2025, during the television show Të Paekspozuarit, when a heated exchange over Erion Veliaj’s arrest escalated into verbal threats against journalist Enton Abilekaj.

During the discussion, former MP Halit Valteri and journalist Enton Abilekaj clashed in a tense exchange:

Enton Abilekaj: I gave way to the fool and the idiot, but we can’t do this…

Halit Valteri: You can’t call me a fool because I’ll slap you, you moron because you’re used to these people, but I’ll beat you to the punch. Calling me a fool…

Enton Abilekaj: You can’t bring the discussion to this level.

Halit Valteri: Lowlife. I’ll show you later.

Far from being an isolated incident, such confrontations reflect a growing pattern of hostility that is shrinking the space for constructive debate. Intimidation often replaces substantive discussion in mainstream media and digital platforms.