News 24/BIRN television signal interrupted: State Police refuses to react

On Saturday, around 7:00 AM, a dozen police officers appeared at the premises of News 24 television, in the former Autotraktor Factory, in the Shkozë neighborhood of Tirana, demanding the journalists leave and vacate the building.

According to the Panorama newspaper, which is part of the same media group, the police are preventing journalists from entering the building, while demanding the vacating of the premises where the editorial offices of News 24, BalkanWeb, Panorama and Gazeta Shqiptare are currently located, to transfer them to the state-owned company "KAYO". Panorama also reports that the television has had its electricity cut off.

At 07:36, News 24's signal was cut off.

KAYO is a state-owned arms manufacturing and trading company, established in 2024. On March 12, 2025, the government adopted a decision transferring ownership of the former Autotraktorev Plant to KAYO. News 24 is a long-term tenant of the former Autotraktorev Plant.

In a statement shared on Facebook, the Journalists Association of Albania expressed concern about the actions of the State Police.

"This alarming action constitutes a flagrant violation of the fundamental principles of democracy and freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Constitution of Albania and international human rights instruments," AGSH writes.

“Police intervention, which directly hinders the work of journalists, is an unacceptable act and constitutes open pressure on free media,” the organization stressed.

AGSH called on state institutions to stop the action and guarantee News 24 journalists access to their work premises, as well as to respect democratic standards for media freedom.

When asked by BIRN, the State Police spokesperson did not comment on the operation to liberate the News 24 premises./BIRN

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