TIRANA, 11 November 2021 – “In the continuous efforts to address the most extreme cases of the use of hate speech in Albania, a firm engagement and co-ordination of all the key stakeholders, public actors and civil society organisations is essential to ensure that hate speech incidents are not tolerated and its victims protected…”. This was underlined today during the public presentation of the study “Beyond Definitions. A call for action against hate speech in Albania”, organised by the EU and Council of Europe joint action on “Promoting diversity and equality in Albania” in co-operation with Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination in Albania.  

The event was opened by Mr. Robert Gajda, Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination in Albania who welcomed the participants highlighting that: “The importance of these types of studies and monitoring tools, stays in the fact that the fight against hate speech must not be only legal, but also social and cultural”

Ms. Jutta Gützkow, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana in her remarks stressed that “We need to remember that discrimination can happen to any of us, and these tools presented today will help those in need to report cases of hate speech and discrimination”

Ms. Lenka Vitkova, Head of Section, European Union Delegation to Albania, addressed the event emphasising the importance and necessity of this study, not only in Albania but also in European countries in countering Hate Speech and fighting discrimination. “This phenomenon exists everywhere, in the Western Balkans and also in EU countries. In the latest EU Country report for Albania, the EU acknowledges that the legal and policy framework on non-discrimination is generally aligned with EU standards. Nevertheless, the implementation of the anti-discrimination legal framework still needs to be further strengthened”, she stressed.

The study “Beyond Definitions. A call for action against hate speech in Albania” presents to relevant stakeholders an updated and comprehensive approach to hate speech as well as some representative and reliable data on the perception of hate speech in Albania. It concludes with important recommendations for relevant actors on how to approach the problem of hate speech.

The findings of the study show that 58% of the respondents think that hate speech is a national issue, even more during and after the pandemic) and the media has a particular role in spreading it.  As far as triggers of hate speech are concerned, poverty (54 %), social status, political opinion, and physical appearance (44 %) are perceived as the main grounds of discrimination. According to the respondents, hate speech propagates not only in Social Media, but also in schools, universities, and workplaces, and about 46% of the respondents from vulnerable groups have personally experienced hate speech in their lives.

To support the efforts in combatting hate speech in Albania the Mobile Application - (KMD App) of the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination available for Android in Google play and Iphone in the App Store, was presented for the public, which will constitute a unique tool to report cases of hate speech and hate crimes in our society.

The Study, the Mobile Application and the public event were supported by the action on “Promotion of diversity and equality in Albania”, implemented in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022".

For more information

Besnik Baka, Communication Officer - Horizontal Facility II - besnik.baka@coe.int / +355692178430)

Lavdrim Lita - Institucioni i Komisionerit për Mbrojtjen nga Diskriminimi, lavdrim.lita@kmd.al, +355682772321