| BorisVM |
Two dailies fold while a new daily emerges backed by oligarchy
Two Albanian dailies Koha Ditore and Flaka have stopped publication, while a new daily emerges Alternativa, which will be another media project by Albanian tycoon Vebi Velija.
Although the other two papers appeared to have no political affiliations, the recent launch party of Alternativa had guests who were part of the Macedonian business oligarchy and political leaders of the DUI [Democratic Union for Integration - BDI in Albanian], which is the Albanian partner in the government.
It is unsure whether both the Albanian and the Macedonian oligarchy will back this paper but it is true that no political leaders are opposing the illegal ownership of the paper by Velija. Velija, currently the owner of the Albanian-language Alsat satellite television and holds a national license in the country is breaking a law in the state that no one can simultaneously own a newspaper and a television station.
Koha Ditore, with a circulation of approximately 4,000-5,000 copies, was a large, influential Albanian daily published and owned by prominent activist Veton Surroi, who has ties to Western pro-democracy organizations, although the daily did not appear to be committed to any local political party or economic group. The paper has stopped printing due to distribution problems and other economic reasons.
Flaka, a privately-owned daily also had no apparent political affiliation, although media observers say it was sympathetic to the Democratic Union for Integration (BDI) led by prominent Albanian politician Ali Ahmeti. The paper stopped printing because it went bankrupt.
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