Monthly Monitoring Highlights October: Ethnic division and sexism alongside unprofessional media reporting in the Western Balkans

During October, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fuelled by ethnic discrimination, anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric, sexism and unprofessional media reporting.

Sexism in Kosovo and Montenegro

In Kosovo, a debate was held on TV7+ – a popular television channel in Albania and Kosovo – which focused on the topic of family issues. One of the questions addressed during the debate was regarding the difficulties faced by single mothers and the societal prejudices against them. One participant in the discussion stated that there was no reason to call them single mothers since they receive child support and additional financial aid, suggesting that if they are unemployed, they simply “go out and about”. The editor and host of the debate, Zana Avdiu, responded to this statement, emphasising that no woman simply “wanders around” and that such a comment is insulting. In reaction to her statement, several commentators on social media directed hateful language toward the host. Avdiu has been raising issues concerning women’s rights for the second consecutive year, challenging the deeply entrenched patriarchal attitudes toward women and their unequal roles in families and society. This often leads to sexist and highly offensive comments on social media after each of her programs. 

In Kosovo, many couples divorce each year, typically granting custody of minor children to mothers, who face challenges when fathers fail to pay child support. Single mothers, especially those rejected by their extended families or those whose partners have died, struggle with limited shelter options, exacerbating their difficulties and affecting their children’s mental health. The government’s assistance of 20 euros per child per month is insufficient, and in additional to economical challenges, divorced women often face societal stigma, being seen as failures in maintaining their families.  This negative bias marred with a lack of empathy and support from the system is often resulting in marginalisation.

In Montenegro, Vesna Bratić, a prominent political figure and former Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, was the target of death threats, particularly spread on social media platform ‘X’. These threats were made after she received heavy criticism for her views. In response, the Center for Civic Education (CGE) came out and strongly condemned the death threats, calling upon the competent authorities to process the case urgently and thereby, showing that they have zero tolerance towards violence and threats of violence.

Vesna Bratić has been a victim of numerous insults and threats in the past and as a female politician, she is often exposed to misogyny and sexism. Female politicians are frequently exposed to misogyny, facing not only public scrutiny but also death threats and violent rhetoric that their male counterparts rarely endure in comparison. The inequality is clear, with their political positions often undermined by gender-based discrimination. Furthermore, this discrimination is coupled with a lack of adequate responses from authorities, who often fail to pursue appropriate legal action or offer sufficient protection. The absence of serious legal repercussions for such threats further exacerbates the inequality female politicians face.

Anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric in Albania

On the 14^th of October, several articles and the TV program Kafe Shqeto on Syri TV covered the news about the approval of the Guideline on the Implementation of the Social Housing Loan Interest Subsidy Program in the Municipality. The focus of the coverage was on how the LGBTQ+ community is perceived as benefiting more from soft loan programs due to an additional 2 or 3 points awarded to LGBTQ+ individuals in the point system. While these articles and programs may not use inflammatory language, framing the issue as an ‘unfair advantage’ for LGBTQ+ individuals in a highly patriarchal society risks reinforcing negative stereotypes and fostering resentment toward this vulnerable group. 

To better understand why this portrayal is misleading and could contribute to discrimination, we need to understand the point, legal framework and the patriarchal context in Albania.

According to the Guideline on the Implementation of the Social Housing Loan Interest Subsidy Program, the primary objective of the law is to support vulnerable and marginalised groups who struggle to secure housing on their own. This includes various groups such as young couples (under 35 years), single mothers and women victims of domestic violence, minorities such as the Roma and Egyptian communities and the LGBTIQ+ individuals, among others. 

The law aims to provide equitable housing access to groups facing systemic barriers, such as discrimination or safety concerns. Isolating the LGBTIQ+ benefit without considering the overall purpose of the point system distorts the law’s intent and fosters the spread of anti-LGBTIQ+ sentiments.

In the official point system, LGBTIQ+ individuals receive an additional 2 or 3 points, but other criteria weigh much more heavily, such as the status of an orphan and being up to 30 years old (6 points), being a victim of domestic violence / victim of trafficking / possible victims of trafficking (8 points) and member(s) of the Roma / Egyptian minority (8 points)

While LGBTQ+ individuals may gain a few extra points, this is not enough to claim they have an unfair advantage over other groups, especially taking into consideration their overall socially disadvantaged position. Other applicants, such as those from larger families, victims of domestic violence, or low-income earners, can receive significantly more points, making it misleading to imply that LGBTQ+ individuals dominate the process.

In a patriarchal society, emphasising LGBTIQ+ benefits without context can fuel misconceptions and negative sentiment. Claiming that “heterosexual couples have fewer chances” compared to LGBTIQ+ individuals may reinforce biases and breed resentment toward the LGBTIQ+ community resulting in further discrimination.

The articles highlight LGBTQ+ individuals as the primary beneficiaries of soft loan programs, often using sensational language that overlooks other groups or minorities who also benefit from this system. Some media outlets like Syri, Ditar, Boldnews, Bota sot and Joq Albania used headlines in the articles emphasising the LGBTQ+ community as benefiting more from soft loan programs, often using sensational phrasing. This selective focus misrepresents the program, suggesting an unfair advantage for LGBTQ+ people and fuelling negative sentiments.  Media outlet Joq Albania used an image showing two men kissing, which further amplifies the sensationalisation of the topic. Even if the language in the article appears neutral, pairing it with an image that over-emphasises sexuality can serve to distract from the real issue, which is about housing support for marginalised communities. The image shared and posted by Joq Albania garnered significant reach and attracted numerous hate speech comments.

Ethnic hatred in Serbia and North Macedonia

The Radio Television of Serbia organised “RTS Cross”, an international running competition for children. Abdulah Šehović, a Bosniak boy from Novi Pazar, Serbia, won the 500-meter race for first graders, however, the media reported that he did not climb the winning podium as there was supposedly “only room for Serbia and children”.

RTS then went on to apologise for the “technical error” with social media users commenting on how this case highlights ethnic discrimination present within the country. However, as it was later confirmed by Radio Beograd journalist Miloš Panić who reported from the event, the whole case was actually based on disinformation.

Panić explained the situation and provided a photo from the official website of RTS, where Abdulah is seen on the podium after receiving his medal. It is unclear why RTS apologised, as what they were accused of did not actually happen. After Novi Pazar portals published these texts, many different media outlets from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina picked up on the story and reported on this as well, failing to check the facts before republishing the (dis)information. This uncritical approach, without necessary fact-checking, led to disinformation about this event spreading in both countries. Some BiH media used clickbait headlines referring to the case as a “scandal”.

Fact-checking is a cornerstone of responsible journalism. Without it, we risk amplifying misinformation and disinformation that can mislead the public and fuel harmful narratives and, in this case, ethnic division. Media outlets must uphold professional standards, and this example shows how harmful the lack of ethical standards and the combination of disinformation and polarising discourse can be.

In North Macedonia, on October 23, 2024, Bilal Kasami, leader of the Besa movement and a member of the Albanian coalition Vredi within the Macedonian government, sparked controversy with his statement during a speech in Debar, where he declared that the city is part of “natural Albania.” This remark provoked heated debates, particularly among opposition politicians who accused Kasami of nationalism. Conservative and pro-Russian media outlets took his statement as an opportunity to further their anti-Albanian rhetoric and gain political traction. Media reporting on the event were filled with hate speech comments including calls for violence

Debar is a city in North Macedonia therefore, calling it a city which is part of ‘natural Albania’ refers to a nationalist rhetoric of ‘Greater Albania’. This ties to the idea of uniting ethnic Albanians in the Balkans into one state incorporating regions of neighbouring countries like Kosovo, parts of North Macedonia, Montenegro and even southern Serbia. This concept is highly controversial and associated with nationalist movements in the region. This rhetoric often exacerbates tensions, fostering animosity and hostility, particularly in multi-ethnic areas. Moreover, the idea of “Greater Albania” is seen by many as a destabilising force, complicating regional cooperation and peace-building efforts in the Balkans. Having a member of parliament spread such rhetoric, only further serves to create divide and tension in multi-ethnic regions of the Balkans. Politicians and individuals with influence and a platform, should be weary of their words and not use their voice to promote nationalist ideas which can heighten tension and act as a barrier to social cohesion and cooperation.

Unprofessional Media Reporting on Domestic Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina

After information that a singer from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Aldina Bajić, was brutally beaten by her husband Adis Cigura in their home, reached the public, the media reported on this case unprofessionally and unethically. In their coverage of the case, Faktor.ba described the violent scenes and even posted a link to a video with “a note that the video is disturbing”. The report referenced the Agency for Gender Equality’s response, which condemned the violence and shared contact information for support services available to victims. However, this contribution to awareness raising does not diminish the harm done by sharing videos of violence.

Alongside these outlets, other media in Bosnia and Herzegovina reported on the case of domestic violence in an unprofessional manner, sharing personal information about the singer’s life including her medical status. Some media, furthermore, cited statements from her friends who talked about the alleged reasons for the beating which is extremely unprofessional and unethical. Breaching privacy, interviewing an inadequate interlocutor, and sensationalising violence are some of the common mistakes in the media representation of gender-based violence which go against professional standards. Describing violent acts in detail reduces the dignity of the survivor, turns the public into passive observers, traumatises other victims and potentially inspires further violence. Responsible reporting should prioritise the well-being of those affected and avoid sensationalising violence.