Tirana Times
TIRANA, April 18 – The American embassy in Tirana cut ties with the Shekulli daily newspaper following publication of a comment deemed derogatory and racist to Ambassador Alexander Arvizu.
“The embassy will cancel all the subscriptions with the newspaper and the staff will not be allowed to take part in the training activities or press conferences,” the US embassy wrote in a letter sent to the publisher of Shekulli and published by the newspaper on Friday.
That move has sparked a controversial debate in the local media whether the ambassador was right in that decision.
Earlier this month the newspaper printed an opinion article by Ilir Yzeri entitled “Intellectuals and the Little Ambassador of a Great Country” which took a critical stance toward Arvizu’s experience as an ambassador in Albania. He used the term “kinezerira” (Chinese-like) to describe his behavior and as Arvizu is of partly Asian decent it seemed that was the alleged racist wording not liked by the ambassador.
The derogatory term is an Albanian slang word, which often describes trival things or actions, and dates back to the once-close relationship between communist Albania and Maoist China in the 1970s. The embassy notes that although the ambassador welcomes criticism but the newspaper had stepped beyond the line with a personal attack.
“The allegations over race and ethnicity were particularly unwarranted for a newspaper that aims to represent mainstream opinion,” the embassy underlined in the letter.
The newspaper editor-in-chief Adrian Thano responded with a long article harshly criticizing such a step toward the outlet. He considered such an act as “unprecedented” and questioned if that was in line with the standards of democracy and the freedom of the media. He also said that reminded them of the communist past.
Some pro-opposition media outlets have criticized Arvizu recently displeased by his moderate reaction to the Jan. 21 riots, which left four opposition protestors dead. It is hinted that he has favored Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
The US ambassador is always a point of reference in Albania, a great ‘lover’ of the United States. There has often been criticism on its ambassadors serving in the country by both political sides. Arvizu’s predecessor John Withers was also attacked by the pro-government media of allegedly favoring the opposition.
It is very likely that Arvizu may have misinterpreted Yzeiri’s opinion piece as a racist slur against him.
But his move took it to another step. The local media, analysts and other people would think that is not true, considering a newspaper as racist because of an opinion it publishes.
One could easily say that Yzeiri’s opinion, whatever he expresses there, would be protected under the First Amendment of our Constitution.
It is more troubling that Arvizu turned that into an attack on Shekulli newspaper, an intimidating step toward the Albanian media.
The Union of the Albanian Journalists (UAJ) also denounced such an act expressing its concern “on the violation of the ethics and the cut professional relation between the US embassy and the Shekulli daily.” It also expressed surprise of such an act, an “extreme and very debatable act.”
They said that such an act will have negative impact on the journalists.
The UAJ appealed to the embassy to reconsider that decision, saying that could “increase the censuring effects in our media.”
Wouldn’t it be more formal if the embassy or the ambassador would first ask the newspaper publish his opinion too in which he could strongly oppose the alleged racist attack? Or even further, take the case to the courts.
The Albanian media is always in the weakest side in the fight with its authorities, very often unfair to them. But such an attack from a big democratic country, its embassy could have inappropriate consequences for them.
