Albanian PM refuses to apologize after pushing journalist who asked about Jared Kushner project
Source: Politico (EU)
March 20, 2024 8:41 am CET
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama refused to apologize after being accused of physically intimidating a female journalist who had asked him about an investment project linked to Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Tuesday, Rama appeared to push in the face reporter Ambrozia Meta, who was asking him a question, before walking away. A video of the incident racked up over 150,000 views on X.
Meta, who works for Albanian television channel Syri TV, told BIRN that Rama “touched me on the cheek with his hand.” “I told him: ‘Don’t touch me anymore,’ and that was it,” she said, adding that she had been asking the prime minister about an investment project in Albania linked to Kushner, the former U.S. president’s son-in-law.
“Unfortunately, Prime Minister Rama is now demonstrating his usual arrogance toward journalists with physical contact. I’m sorry that the head of the government can’t control himself when asked about issues of public interest,” Meta said.
SafeJournalists Network, a group advocating for the rights of the press in the Western Balkans, called Rama’s actions “unacceptable and alarming” and urged him to apologize. The group noted that Rama has a history of retaliating against journalists who are critical of the government, including by banning them from press conferences. Former Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha called Rama a “misogynist” and the incident “a brutal and ugly act.”
Read more: https://www.politico.eu/article/albania-pm-hits-back-after-being-accused-of-intimidating-female-journalist/
(from the OP article)
Link to tweet
@xhemajl_rexha
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A disgusting, yet no surprising gesture of #Albania PM, @ediramaal harassing a female journalist today.
6:39 AM · Mar 19, 2024
That wasn't a "touch on the cheek", it was him shoving her away with his hand by pushing against her head and side of face. He looks like someone who could be in the WWF.
= new reply since forum marked as read
*Most of the stuff in his Twitter are in Albanian, but these 2 were posted in english.
Posted 2 hours ago:
To label a completely innocent gesture, such as a friendly pat on the shoulder following a normal conversation with the press where all questions were answered without any lack of patience, first as "aggression" and then as "intimidation," without seeking the opinions of the dozen journalists present who could attest to the event firsthand, not only fails to serve the truth but also shows disrespect to the true victims of aggression and intimidation in todays field of journalism.
Moreover, when a completely incredible misleading interpretation of a video is given more weight than the accounts of numerous and mostly female journalists who witnessed the pretended attack but were not questioned at all about it, sensationalism takes precedence over accuracy.
Adding to the spectacle, the entirely unfounded claim that this alleged act of intimidation was provoked by questions about a project involving a relative of President Trump is introduced.
Well, here it is what I can say:
Firstly, I take pride in leading a nation where, prior to my term, journalists faced true bullets, physical harm, ritual intimidation and systemic harassment. Since assuming office, there has been a marked shift in ensuring they do their work without any real problem even when few of them engage constantly in fake news, false accusations and attacks on my family or same for other members of the cabinet or parliament.
Secondly, having a wellknown background in the trench of free speakers when free speech could have cost me my own life, I have had my learning curve in becoming patient even in front of sometimes offensive unethical journalists. Never anything physical for God sake, but some bluntly undiplomatic answers have been given to them, which for good reasons didn’t really help my reputation among the free press defenders and raporteurs. Nevertheless is since long time that any of it has occured and my commitment to direct, transparent and respectful communication has consistently guided my interactions with journalists, as I fully recognize their crucial role in keeping the public informed.
As for this outplaced narrative of the “punch”, “push”, “hit”, “agress”, “intimidate” (and other various characterizations of a friendly pat while leaving the press point) that seems to have taken on a life of its own, it appears that no course of action is left for me to influence.
Posted yesterday:
Apologies following a completely abhorring lie while everything is in video and a dozen of journalists, and cameramans as well are eyewitnesses of the simple truth that not only there was anything near to an agression, but all questions were answered patiently (despite the several unthetical interruptions) in a usual talk to the press and I left after a friendly goodbye?!
No I am sorry and not only I have no apologies to make, but I reject the whole characterization of “the leader that has shown contempt toward critical press”, which is simply not true because there are now many years since I don’t engage in any type of legitimate heated debate with any journalist
On the contrary I show to the many ethical as well as to sometimes unethical journalists my full disponibility to answer all questions, although the late category is used to disruptive and clearly out of any standard continous interruptions of answers.
So sorry that such a “denounciation” does not honour the values of freedom and either the truth, but more then that denounciating an imaginary agression direspects the true victims of power agressions toward women journalists around the world.
As for the “inexcusable” behaviour, as a former free press pionieer in my country when my free speech risked my own life, I feel fully intitled to say that press organizations should care to protect the values of freedom, democracy and journalistic integrity not only when they are threatened by power, but also when they are undermined by members of the press community. Otherwise our democratic societies are really in trouble.
Link to tweet
Link to tweet
He must be referring to his "alternate facts video". 
