Mercenary Journalism: Berat Buzhala’s Role in Destabilising Kosovo’s Democracy
Mercenary Journalism: Berat Buzhala’s Role in Destabilising Kosovo’s Democracy
Berat Buzhala’s mercenary tactics, hidden affiliations, and misuse of media to undermine Kosovo’s democracy demand urgent action to protect national sovereignty.
Berat Buzhala, a former politician turned media 1mogul, has long been a figure of controversy in Kosovo. His deep ties to the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and his transition into the media world have been marked by persistent allegations of corruption, manipulation, and questionable affiliations. Among the most troubling of these affiliations is his connection to 2Zvonko Veselinovic, a Serbian criminal who has been blacklisted by the United States for his extensive involvement in organised crime. Veselinovic’s criminal activities include orchestrating riots and murders, making him one of the most dangerous figures in the Balkans.
Political Ties and Criminal Affiliations
Buzhala's connections to such figures raise significant concerns, particularly in the context of the recent allegations against him. In addition to his ties with Veselinovic, Buzhala himself has 3admitted to being investigated by the Kosovar Intelligence Agency for alleged links with Russia. Although he made this admission, he attempted to downplay its seriousness, treating the matter as if it were a joke. This cavalier attitude towards such a grave accusation only deepens suspicions about his true affiliations and intentions.
In response to the backlash against Nacionale’s 4reporting, Buzhala took to Facebook to defend his outlet’s actions. He claimed that he never intended to harm anyone when he and his staff decided to cover the tragic murder case in Ferizaj. Buzhala hinted that women’s rights organisations and civil society, which had remained silent in the face of President Osmani’s so-called “hysteria,” would be embarrassed once the full material was released. He assured that he was neither blackmailing nor threatening anyone but was preparing to reveal the confrontation between the victim and the perpetrator
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However, this post does more to incriminate Buzhala than to exonerate him. The fact that Nacionale published these damning allegations without attaching a name to the article’s authorship is telling. It suggests that the outlet is preparing for a potential legal battle where they can cry persecution by the President, portraying themselves as victims of a government crackdown on free speech. The anonymity also signals a lack of accountability, a tactic often employed by those who anticipate the need to evade responsibility for their actions.
Weaponising Media and the Manipulation of Public Perception
In an even more troubling development, Buzhala indicated that Nacionale would provide evidence to the state prosecution but not to the public. This is a blatant violation of journalistic ethics and a scandal in its own right. Journalists are not law enforcement officers or prosecutors; their role is to inform the public, not to act as intermediaries for the authorities. By withholding evidence from the public, Buzhala is not only undermining the principles of transparency and accountability but is also compromising the integrity of his profession. Such actions suggest that Nacionale is less interested in the truth and more focused on manipulating information for political gain. This behaviour is not characteristic of responsible journalism—it is the hallmark of a mercenary operation, using supposed evidence as leverage to manipulate political outcomes.
The distinction between the roles of journalists and law enforcement is fundamental. Journalists have a duty to present evidence to the public, ensuring that their reporting is transparent and can be independently verified. When journalists hand over their evidence to the police or prosecution, they are relinquishing their role as impartial observers and becoming instruments of the state. This undermines the very foundation of a free press, which exists to hold power accountable, not to assist in state prosecution. Buzhala's willingness to submit evidence to the prosecution, while withholding it from the public, raises serious questions about his intentions and further discredits his claims of journalistic integrity.
The 5reaction of the Journalists Association of Kosovo (AGK) to this controversy is yet another scandal. The AGK swiftly condemned President Osmani’s response to Nacionale’s reporting, framing it as a threat to press freedom. However, the AGK remained conspicuously silent on the mercenary manoeuvres of Nacionale, which are a clear perversion of journalism. By ignoring the unethical conduct of Nacionale, the AGK has not only failed to uphold the standards of their profession but has also implicated itself in this scandal. Their selective outrage suggests a troubling complicity and raises questions about the integrity of the association itself.
A National Security Threat: Media as a Tool for Foreign Influence
As we analyse Berat Buzhala’s operation through the lens of two Russian defectors, the parallels to Kremlin-style media manipulation become starkly apparent. Vladimir Bukovsky, a Soviet dissident who exposed the Soviet regime’s propaganda tactics, might recognise Buzhala’s methods as a modern-day version of those same disinformation strategies—where unverified allegations and withheld evidence are used to create confusion and distrust. Sergei Tretyakov, a former Russian intelligence officer who defected to the United States, would likely see Buzhala’s actions as a calculated effort to undermine Kosovo’s democracy, mirroring the Kremlin's use of media as a tool for subversion.
Buzhala’s own flippant dismissal of being investigated by Kosovar intelligence for alleged Russian ties, treating it as a joke, is a tactic that echoes the cynical manipulation often employed by Kremlin-aligned media. This is precisely what Anne Applebaum, a prominent historian and journalist, warns against when she describes the "fog of falsehood" that authoritarian regimes use to obscure the truth and destabilise societies.
Western analysts like Peter Pomerantsev, who has extensively documented Kremlin media strategies, would likely identify Buzhala's approach as part of the broader "post-truth" era, where the goal is to confuse and control rather than inform. Similarly, Yale historian Timothy Snyder might view Buzhala’s actions as a classic example of "information warfare," aimed at eroding public trust and weakening the foundations of democratic governance.
In this context, Buzhala’s operation is not merely a rogue media endeavour but a sophisticated form of psychological manipulation, echoing the very tactics that have destabilised other nations. His actions, when viewed through the prism of these defectors and analysts, reveal a deliberate strategy to undermine Kosovo's sovereignty, making it imperative for the nation to recognise and counter this threat.
In the broader context of Kosovo’s media landscape, the actions of Berat Buzhala and Nacionale are deeply troubling. The pattern of behaviour exhibited by Buzhala—his connections to criminal figures, his disregard for journalistic ethics, and his willingness to act as a tool of foreign interests—pose a significant threat to Kosovo’s national security. The continued operation of Nacionale undermines public trust in the media, destabilises the nation, and opens the door for foreign actors to exert undue influence over Kosovo’s political processes.
Kosovo must take decisive action to protect its sovereignty and the integrity of its media landscape. Allowing figures like Buzhala to operate unchecked is a danger to the nation’s democratic institutions. Just as the 6United Kingdom and the 7European Union took steps to shut down Russian state-sponsored media following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kosovo must consider similar measures to safeguard its democracy. The presence of mercenary media outlets like Nacionale is not just an issue of press freedom—it is a matter of national security.
The stakes are high, and Kosovo cannot afford to allow its media landscape to be hijacked by those who serve foreign interests. The time has come for Kosovo to take a stand, to protect its democracy, and to ensure that its media remains a force for truth and accountability, not a tool for manipulation and destabilisation. The integrity of the nation’s democratic institutions depends on it.
The US hits organised crime in northern Kosovo, added Zvonko Veselinovic and his collaborators on the list — KOSOVA Press.
Berat Buzhala tregon se si u gjënd në listën e personave që "paguheshin" nga Rusia — Top Channel.
Osmani: As unë dhe as bashkëshorti im nuk kemi lidhje me rrethanat që shpien në vrasjen e mbrëmshme — NACIONALE.
“Hetim prej teje, Prindonit, e teposhtë”: Reagime ndaj Osmanit pas vrerit të madh ndaj Nacionales — NACIONALE.
Presidenca i reagon edhe AGK-së: “Osmani në asnjë mënyrë nuk ndërlidhet me rastin” — NACIONALE.