The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) today join partner organisations in writing to the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, to raise further alarm over the funding and governance crisis at Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK), the country’s public broadcaster.
The EFJ and IFJ join calls for the government to immediately release the funds owed to RTK so that salaries can be paid and the broadcaster can continue to operate.
We further call on the Assembly of Kosovo to restore RTK’s legal governance structures and appoint the remaining board members to ensure the election of a permanent Director General without delay.
Read the full letter below, which was sent earlier today.
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12 November 2025
Dear Prime Minister Kurti,
We, the undersigned organisations, express our serious concern regarding the ongoing financial, managerial and governance crisis at Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK). The situation has become critical and requires immediate action by the Government to enable the payment of RTK’s approved funds and to ensure the broadcaster’s continued operation.
RTK plays a vital role in Kosovo’s democratisation, social cohesion and European integration process. Yet it currently operates without access to its budget, without a fully constituted Board, and without a legally mandated Director General. Employees have gone unpaid, and repeated protests reflect growing frustration and social instability.
The EBU addressed you on this issue in July, when the funding was only temporarily resolved through an exceptional loan. Partner organisations have also raised the matter with you more recently, underscoring the urgency of finding a lasting solution. As no progress has been made since, resolving this matter has become even more urgent to prevent further deterioration of the broadcaster’s operations, independence and credibility.
The European Commission’s 2025 Progress Report on Kosovo raises serious concerns, noting the lack of progress in establishing a sustainable and independent financing model for RTK, which continues to face “budget, property and human resources constraints, internal disputes and leadership instability.” It also warns that, without legislative action to secure stable funding and leadership appointments, RTK remains “vulnerable to political pressure and financial uncertainty.”
This situation undermines the standards Kosovo has committed to uphold as it strives for membership in the Council of Europe and advances toward European Union accession. The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1878 (2009) on the Funding of Public Service Broadcasting calls on states to “guarantee secure, adequate and transparent funding” as a prerequisite for independence and effectiveness. Likewise, Article 5 of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) requires “adequate, stable and predictable funding” for public service media to ensure editorial and institutional autonomy.
We therefore call on the Government of Kosovo to immediately release the funds owed to RTK so that salaries can be paid and the broadcaster can continue to operate. At the same time, we urge the Assembly of Kosovo, as it proceeds to constitute its parliamentary committees, to restore RTK’s legal governance structures and appoint the remaining Board members to ensure the election of a permanent Director General without delay.
Taking these urgent measures would demonstrate Kosovo’s commitment to European values and to the media freedom standards expected of a future member of the Council of Europe and the European Union.
Yours sincerely,
European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
International Press Institute (IPI)
Reporters without borders (RsF)
Association of European Journalists (AEJ)
SafeJournalists Network
Association of Journalists of Albania (AJA)
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)
Center Science and Innovation for Development
Association of BH Journalists (BHJA)
Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA)
Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK)
Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM)
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (TUMM)
Source: EFJ
