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On 1 March 2012 the Albanian Parliament adopted some amendments to the Penal Code that decriminalise libel and defamation. These changes followed a first round of amendments to the Civil Code defamation provisions, which were passed by Parliament on 17 February 2012. The changes culminated in a seven-year effort led by the Justice Initiative and the Albanian Media Institute, which received multi-partisan support in three successive legislature and civil society discussions. The aim was to bring Albania’s defamation laws into line with prevailing European standards. The Penal Code amendments included...

In recent times the National Council of Radio and Television (NCRT) has been significantly more active in monitoring broadcasting content of television stations and taking relevant decisions. So, in February 2012, the NCRT banned the broadcasting of an advertising spot of a mobile company, deeming it as a spot “that promotes a behaviour that endangers the normal health and psychic development of children.” The mobile company appealed this decision before the Council of Complaints at the NCRT. Both the Council and the psychologists' reports said that the spot contained elements that might foster...

On 13 January 2012, The District Court of Tirana recently ordered some Internet Service Providers (ISP) to interrupt the signal and connection to some servers that pirate TV programmes. The case was brought to court by the District Attorney’s office, upon the request of Digitalb, the first digital terrestrial and satellite multiplex operating in the country since 2004 (see IRIS 2005-8/10). Digitalb offers several paid programme bouquets on terrestrial and satellite platforms. The company claimed that a number of servers and companies were illegally and unrightfully distributing Digitalb content,...

The National Council of Radio and Television (NCRT) made two decisions regarding the broadcasting of an advertising spot and a music video clip. On 31 January 2012, the NCRT advised against the broadcasting of the video clip “High” by Babastars, broadcast by local music TV stations. The video shows a field full of plants of a narcotic nature and the text of the song favours consuming this substance and casts a favourable light upon this habit, according to the NCRT. The NCRT examined the content of the video as a result of numerous complaints lodged by citizens to the Council. According to the...

Starting this year, the licence fee each household pays for the public broadcasting service will double. After a joint decision of the Ministry of Finances and the director of the public broadcaster Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (Albanian Radio and Television) each family in 2011 will pay ALL 1,200 (approximately EUR 8.7 per year, instead of ALL 600, EUR 4.34). For years Albania has had one of the lowest licence fees for public broadcasting in the region. This fee is paid through the payment of the respective electricity bills. Until last year, the fee was paid as a lump sum, in the first trimester...