The Albanian Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination (CPD) presented today the study "Beyond Definitions. A call for action against hate speech in Albania”, which provides for an updated and comprehensive approach to hate speech including statistical data on the perception of hate speech in Albania.

According to the study “… 58% of the Albanian respondents think that hate speech is a national issue, even more so during and after the pandemic, as 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”. The study, prepared with the support of the European Union and Council of Europe joint action on “Promoting diversity and equality in Albania”, was presented to relevant domestic and international stakeholders, in a public event in Tirana. Based on its findings the study provides important recommendations for the relevant actors on how to approach and address hate speech in the Albanian context.

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.

During the discussions the participants reaffirmed the continuous efforts to address the most extreme cases of the use of hate speech in Albania, highlighting that the close coordination between the relevant public authorities, media and civil society organisations is essential to ensure that hate speech incidents are duly addressed and its victims protected.

On this occasion, the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination introduced the recently established mobile app KMD App available in Android in Google play and Iphone in the App Store, which will serve as a practical and information tool to for the public on antidiscrimination as well as to report cases of hate speech and hate crimes in Albania. The KMD App is also developed in the framework of the EU and Council of Europe joint action on “Promoting diversity and equality in Albania”, under the "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022".

For more information
Besnik Baka, Communication Officer - Horizontal Facility II - [email protected] / +355692178430