Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani’s office has come under fire from European press freedom advocates after warning it may pursue legal action against a German journalist, a move critics described as an attempt to intimidate the media.
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) said on Wednesday that the presidency’s warnings against Michael Martens, a correspondent for Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), were “shameful and laughable”.
EFJ Secretary General Ricardo Gutierrez said journalists have the right to comment on public figures and their political ambitions, including Osmani’s reported intention to seek re-election and her alleged ideological proximity to what he described as “Trumpism”.
“Threats of legal action by the Kosovo presidency against German journalist Michael Martens are as shameful as they are ridiculous,” Gutierrez said in a written statement. “A journalist has the right to comment on Vjosa Osmani’s desire to run for another term as president, and on her links with Trumpism.”
Osmani’s office earlier said it was considering legal steps, arguing that Martens’ reporting contained unfounded claims that harmed the credibility of the presidency and the state.
Martens, a veteran foreign correspondent, has rejected the accusations, saying his reporting was based on publicly available information and legitimate political analysis.
In a recent FAZ article, Martens wrote that Osmani has sought to strengthen her international profile ahead of a possible bid for a second term by cultivating close ties with U.S. President Donald Trump and his political circle, including appearances alongside Trump at international events such as the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The article said Osmani portrayed Kosovo as a founding participant in a Trump-backed international initiative, a move that, according to the report, was taken without consultation with Prime Minister Albin Kurti. Martens also cited political sources as saying Osmani lacked sufficient support in Kosovo’s parliament, which elects the president, to secure re-election.
The FAZ report noted that while the United States remains a key ally for Kosovo, public perceptions have shifted in recent years, and close ties with Washington are no longer seen as a guarantee of political success at home. Kurti’s party won a decisive parliamentary election victory despite strained relations with Trump-era officials, the article said.