Tirana Times, 11 August, 2025
The forcible shutdown of Albania’s leading all-news television channel, News 24, and the blockade of the Focus Media Group headquarters by police and later military forces on August 9 has ignited national and international debate about press freedom, political retaliation, and the limits of state authority. While government officials defend the operation as lawful enforcement of a property dispute, media organizations and journalists’ unions denounce it as an unprecedented assault on the country’s already fragile independent media landscape. In the early hours of August 9, State Police entered the Focus Media Group premises in Shkozë, home to News 24, Panorama, Balkanweb, and Gazeta Shqiptare. By 07:00, the compound—part of a former state-owned tractor factory—was surrounded. Minutes later, electricity was cut, servers shut down, and at 07:36 the channel’s broadcast signal went black. News 24 later resumed streaming via YouTube, but journalists and technical staff were barred from re-entering. After several hours, police withdrew from the building, only to be replaced by Military Police, who have since maintained control of the facilities.
Conflicting Claims: Property Dispute or Political Retaliation?
The Ministry of Economy, Culture, and Innovation (MEKI) and the State Advocacy Office say the intervention was based on a final court ruling and a March 12, 2025 government decision transferring parts of the complex to KAYO, a state-owned arms manufacturer. Authorities claim Focus Media Group’s lease expired in May 2022, that the company failed to vacate despite repeated notices, and that courts at all levels upheld the eviction order. MEKI argues that freedom of expression “cannot be used as a pretext to unlawfully occupy state property or avoid contractual obligations.”
Focus Media Group disputes these claims, insisting there is no final court order for the specific buildings they occupy and that at least one of the seized properties is under a valid lease until 2033. The company accuses the government of misquoting judicial rulings and says the real motive is to punish the group for its increasingly critical coverage of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government. “The Prime Minister has tried to negotiate News 24 and Panorama’s editorial line. We will not change it,” said Fabiola Hysenbelliu, the group’s deputy chair.
The allegation comes against the backdrop of a once-close relationship between Focus Media Group owner Irfan Hysenbelliu and the government, which in the past granted him lucrative state approvals, including a controversial building permit for the Prestige Resort on Golem beach. Relations soured earlier this year after the group intensified investigative reporting on alleged government corruption. The shutdown follows other state actions targeting Hysenbelliu’s businesses, including a tax seizure of Birra Tirana brewery in May 2025, weeks after Panorama accused the head of the tax authority of corruption.
Press Freedom Concerns and International Reaction
International press freedom organizations reacted swiftly: the International Press Institute said it was “alarmed” and demanded an immediate explanation of the legal basis for what it described as interference in journalists’ work; the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom called the action “disproportionate,” citing blocked newsroom access, power cuts, and a broadcast blackout as excessive; the SafeJournalists Network expressed “deep concern,” stressing that any interference must follow due process and ensure minimal disruption to journalists and the public’s right to information. In Albania, the Union of Albanian Journalists condemned the raid as a flagrant violation of democratic principles and press freedom, demanding authorities allow journalists to return to work immediately.
The U.S. State Department and international watchdogs have long warned of deteriorating media conditions in Albania, highlighting concentrated ownership, politicized advertising markets, and selective regulatory enforcement against critical outlets. Analysts warn the News 24 blackout may become a landmark case in the erosion of editorial independence—especially if legal disputes are perceived as a pretext for silencing dissenting voices.
Beyond the Courtroom: The Stakes for Democracy
While the government frames the raid as routine property enforcement, the optics of armed police and military taking over a major news outlet carry heavy political implications. Even if rooted in contractual disputes, the state’s willingness to disrupt the operations of a national broadcaster—especially one critical of the ruling party—risks deepening public distrust in institutions and reinforcing fears of authoritarian drift. The dispute now moves to two parallel arenas: the Albanian courts, where the legality of the eviction will be challenged, and the court of public opinion, where the question remains—was this about property, or about power?
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