The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), today condemned an attack on Mufail Limani, editor-in-chief of the Kosovo public broadcaster Radio Television Kosovo (RTK).

In the early morning hours yesterday, the entrance door of Limani’s private house was set on fire with a gas tank that exploded. It caused material damages, but fortunately no one was injured.

SEEMO said it was concerned at the number of press freedom violations in Kosovo in recent days.

On April 29, a team from KLAN TV was assaulted while working in the town of Malisheva. Journalist Gresa Bajqinovci and cameraman Gramos Jashari went there to report on local problems in the town. They were attacked in an apparent attempt to prevent them from recording; the assailants took the TV crew’s camera. The journalist and cameraman left the town and did not complete their assignment.

Only a few days earlier, on April 22, as SEEMO reported, Gezim Bimbashi, a journalist for Kosovo public RTV broadcaster RTK, was attacked on “Sumadija” Square in Kosovo’s northern town of Mitrovica. Bimbashi was beaten with wooden flag handles while reporting on a demonstration.

SEEMO urged the Kosovo authorities to protect journalists in their daily work.

“These are serious threats to freedom of expression and the work of journalists in Kosovo”, SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said. “The attacks in Kosovo are becoming more intimidating and more frequent. Journalists and media in Kosovo need an environment in which they are able to work safely.”

He added: “SEEMO will monitor the developments in Kosovo very closely and if necessary organise a special visit to Kosovo.”