The Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco visited the premises of Albanian Daily News on Monday. Accompanied by the Presence’s chief political, public affairs and reporting officer Mr. Laurentiu Stinga, Mr. Del Monaco was received by ADN’s general manager Mrs. Anisa Skendaj, editor-in-chief Alqi Koçiko and online editor Rozeta Tase. 

During the frank and open conversation, Ambassador Del Monaco thanked the Albanian Daily News staff for their work, highlighting the unbiased and objective reporting and noting that the pandemic conditions were an added difficulty to the already hard task of the media in Albania. 
“It just so happened that my mission in Albania also started amid the atmosphere of restrictions,” said Del Monaco, whose Albanian mandate kicked off on November 2020.

On her part, general manager Anisa Skendaj made a brief summary of ADN’s more than 25 year journey as the first and only daily Albanian newspaper in English language, commenting on the paramount importance of economic independence and self-reliance in the media sector, as means of editorial independence. Whereas chief editor Koçiko stressed the need of impartial and fact-based reporting as an asset of any serious, self-respecting news outlet, which is becoming increasingly difficult under the pressure of politics, not only in Albania but also in the region.  

The parties shared the same opinion on the need for OSCE’s presence and contribution in countries such as Albania and the whole Western Balkans region, where both security and cooperation remain the keyword toward democratic progress, stability and confirmation of European standards. Ambassador Del Monaco mentioned several topics and issues currently on the Presence’s focus, such as women empowerment and gender equality, as well as the issue of human trafficking and the Balkans, Albania included, as an area of key importance in this respect.

The upcoming general election of April 25 was another topic of discussion, with Mr. Del Monaco underlining that it is vital for the political parties, institutions and Albanian voters that this process concludes as a clear improvement of democratic standards and values in all aspects. / ADN