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We, the undersigned, call on the Assembly of Kosovo to suspend the work of the ad hoc committees responsible for selecting members of the boards of the Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) and the Independent Media Commission (IMC), due to serious violations of the fundamental principles of transparency, integrity, professionalism, and legality.

The committees should only continue their work once standards are fully ensured that allow for fair, professional, merit-based, and transparent processes. The RTK ad hoc committee, in its preparatory meetings so far, has repeatedly violated these principles.

First and foremost, the process has been marked by a significant lack of transparency. The ad hoc committee removed cameras precisely at the moment when the methodology was being discussed and candidate files were being reviewed, thereby limiting public access to information of high public interest. No personal data was discussed during this meeting, only technical aspects of the applications, specifically whether candidates had submitted complete documentation. Therefore, there was no justification for closing the session to the media.

During the closed meeting, the RTK ad hoc committee applied inconsistent standards in reviewing applications. Initially, it was decided that candidates who had not submitted all required documents would be disqualified, as they had already been given a second opportunity to complete their applications. 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 opportunity. In such cases, the committee changed the methodology without explanation and granted additional opportunities for document completion. While some candidates were openly favored, at least one was unlawfully excluded.

Regarding the interview process, the previous practice was for MPs to prepare their own questions, with the same questions being asked to all candidates to ensure equal treatment. In this case, however, the committee requested that its support unit draft a set of questions from which each MP would select only three, creating space for unequal treatment and a lack of standardization in evaluation. This methodology was then changed just minutes before the interviews began.

Furthermore, the committee allocated only two days to interview 75 candidates—approximately 37 candidates per day—with just 15 minutes per candidate. This time frame is insufficient for candidates to present their vision for a future role on the RTK Board or to adequately respond to MPs’ questions.

The process was further undermined by the fact that candidates were notified less than 12 hours before their interviews, significantly limiting their ability to prepare. In addition, MPs received application files on Friday, and due to the parliamentary break until Tuesday, 14 April, they had no real opportunity to review them. This led opposition MPs to withdraw from relevant committee meetings during the preparation phase of the interviews.

As for the selection process for members of the Independent Media Commission (IMC), the situation is even more concerning. The ad hoc committee failed to meet due to lack of quorum, while some MPs had not even received application files by 6:00 PM on 14 April.

We consider that the Vetëvendosje Movement’s rush to finalize the selection of RTK and IMC board members at any cost—without allowing sufficient time for preparation by MPs and candidates, with unclear methodology and inappropriate deadlines, and with the exclusion of cameras—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 reasonable timeframes, with full transparency, equal standards for all candidates, and without any form of favoritism. Only a fair and credible process can guarantee independent institutions serving the public interest.

Association of Journalists of Kosovo
FOL Movement
Kosovo Law Institute (IKD)
Flutura Kusari – Activist