Albania: Prime Minister Edi Rama Inappropriately Touches Ambrozia Meta During Press Conference
Prime Minister Edi Rama blatantly disregarded the journalistic integrity and personal boundaries of Meta
Location: Albania, TiranaDate: March 19, 2024
Women Press Freedom expresses unwavering support for Syri TV journalist Ambrozia Meta, whose personal and professional boundaries were violated by Prime Minister Edi Rama during a press conference. Rama disregarded Meta's inquiries about an investment project on the environmentally protected island of Sazan, reportedly involving Jared Kushner, and instead pushed the journalist by patting her cheek before walking away. The act of touching Meta's cheek, without consent, during a professional engagement is not only a clear violation of personal boundaries but also an affront to the principles of professionalism, personal autonomy, gender respect, and press freedom. The cornerstone of professional interaction between journalists and public officials is mutual respect and adherence to established norms of conduct. The Prime Minister's uninvited physical contact breaches these norms, undermining the professional relationship that is crucial for the free flow of information and accountability in a democratic society, and set a troubling precedent for the treatment of journalists. We insist that Prime Minister Rama issue a public apology to the journalist, who was simply fulfilling her journalistic responsibilities. It is imperative that journalists are not targeted with intimidation or infringements while executing their duties. Journalists play a crucial role in holding those in power accountable and informing the public on critical matters.
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"The touch was deeply humiliating and degrading, especially given I only have a professional relationship with the Prime Minister,” Syri TV journalist Ambrozia Meta tells Women Press Freedom regarding the incident where Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama patted her cheek during a conference. “I instinctively pulled away and told him not to touch me as it made me uncomfortable.” The incident occurred when Meta was posing a question to Rama regarding an investment project on the environmentally protected island of Sazan, allegedly involving Jared Kushner.
The journalist took to social media to express her disappointment over the Prime Minister’s actions and reiterated the importance of respecting professional boundaries in interactions between public officials and the press. “It infringed upon my physical integrity and was a demeaning act that should never be repeated with any woman journalist,” says Meta.
While Rama dismissed calls for a public apology, media rights organizations rallied in support of Meta, condemning the Prime Minister’s behavior and advocating for respectful engagement with journalists. The incident has reignited concerns about press freedom in Albania, with previous clashes between Rama and journalists, including Meta, further highlighting the challenges faced by the media in the country.
The Union of Albanian Journalists criticized Rama for his handling of the press conference, highlighting the Prime Minister’s failure to provide concrete answers and his use of intimidating language towards journalists. The incident underscores broader issues surrounding journalistic freedom and the need for transparent and accountable communication between government officials and the media.
This isn’t the first time Meta has been snubbed by the prime minister for pressing on critical issues as Women Press Freedom has documented.
On May 9, 2022, Prime Minister Rama disregarded Meta's inquiry regarding Albania's decline by 20 points on the World Press Freedom Index. Despite Albania's descent to 103rd place on the Reporters Without Borders global press freedom index during his leadership, Rama has rejected claims of increased violations against journalists. He has characterized these allegations as "false" and dismissed them as "fictional.”
“The touch was deeply humiliating and degrading”
On March 30, 2020, Rama declared that he had imposed a 60-day embargo on Meta. The journalist was unfairly targeted woth a unilateral information embargo for posing a question about the arrest of the ruling Socialist Party's minister on corruption charges.
Women Press Freedom unequivocally supports Ambrozia Meta and denounces the intimidation tactics utilized by Prime Minister Edi Rama towards Meta and other members of the media. It is imperative that government officials uphold professional standards in their interactions with journalists. Such behavior represents a clear violation of press freedom and constitutes gender-based intimidation. Journalists must be afforded respect and the ability to carry out their duties without the threat of retaliation or harm. The principles of democracy are at stake when these boundaries are transgressed. We call upon Prime Minister Rama to issue a public apology and to enact safeguards for journalists, rather than exposing them to humiliation.
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