Opinion of the Press Council of Kosovo on the complaint of the German KFOR, Prizren, Uwe Schmelzeis, Lt and Head of Public Relations, against newspaper "Express”
7 June 2010The Press Council of Kosovo, in its meeting held on June 3, 2010, ruling on the complaint of Uwe Schmezeis German KFOR in Prizren presented on May 22, 2010, against the newspaper "Express" under Article 4 (paragraph 5) of the Statute of KSHMK's, gave the following
the complaint is uphold
German KFOR Prizren has filed a complaint against the newspaper "Express" about translated article from German language entitled "The drunk, the naughty" originally published by the Swiss newspaper "Weltwoche”.
PCK reiterate the position that newspapers have the right to transmit articles from other newspapers, as in this case with the newspaper "Express" but to translation of those articles must be correct containing truthful content as published in the source newspaper.
However, in this case is concluded that the translators made some mistakes in names and positions, and the published picture has nothing to do with German KFOR, since the picture shown is of Greek KFOR Army.
As such the complainant has sent a response to “Express” underlining and reacting on these errors. The newspaper "Express" has not published the request of the German KFOR. Based on this fact, PCK found that newspaper "Express" by not publishing the complainant's response, violated article IV of the Code of the Press Council of Kosovo (the right to respond), specifically Article 1 of Chapter IV of this Code, under which it is established the obligation of newspapers and news agencies to publish feedback, when the media publish inaccurate information about individuals or organizations.
Also, paragraph 2 of Chapter IV of the Code of the Press Council of Kosovo, provides the right to respond when the publication of such response contributes towards correctness and impartiality. KMSHK thinks that a meeting of representatives of the Office of Public Relations of German KFOR in Prizren and those of the editorial of "Express" will be able to resolve the dispute benefiting for better information and full right of opinion.
Based on what was said, decision of this opinion is to uphold the complaint.
- Kosovo's Press Council’s decision on complaint Hasan Jashari, a lawyer from Pristina, against newspaper "Kosova Sot"
- The Press Council of Kosovo's decision on the complaint of the General Auditor, Lage Olofsson, against the newspaper "Lajm"
- Adjudication of the Press Council of Kosovo in relation to the complaint of Makfirete Saliuka, Judge at the Municipal Court in Prishtina, versus Kosova Sot newspaper
- Adjudication of Press Council of Kosovo on the complaint of the Information Office of Drenas Municipality against Koha Ditore.
- Adjudication of the Press Council of Kosovo on the Complaint of the Office of the President of the Republic of Kosovo, against Zëri newspaper