TIRANA, Aug. 30 – A gun attack occurred in Albania in the early hours of Thursday morning at the apartment of News 24 TV station journalist Klodiana Lala.
Her building at the outskirts of Tirana was fired heavily upon with an automatic gun. The bullet marks are clearly visible on the building’s walls, doors and windows.
At the time of the assault, the journalist’s children, parents and brother were at home. Police said it has launched prompt investigations to clarify the circumstances of the incident as well as to identify and punish the perpetrators.
Lala has only reacted to the assault through a Facebook post, in which she clarified noone was hurt, but that she and her family members were rather shocked by the event.
“I suspect that the attack comes as a result of my work as a journalist. I have practiced this profession honestly and professionally over the years, and will continue to exercise this task with the same dedication, regardless of everything,” Lala wrote. “I would like to thank the Minister of Interior and State Police for their efforts to investigate the event.”
The Union of Albanian Journalists also reacted directly to the event, calling it a “heavy and serious event.”
In its statement, the Union “urges State Police to urgently investigate the case and send perpetrators to justice, as any delay will exacerbate even further the climate of freedom of expression in Albania. The police should not deal with details that confuse the public opinion but find the author or authors of this very serious event. When the messenger is attacked, one of the fundamental constitutional rights is severely endangered.”
Klodiana Lala is an experienced journalist who has been covering many black chronicles for many years, and has been present in numerous television debates, addressing key developments related to the activity of criminal groups in the country
