“Democracy dies in darkness” was the slogan chosen by Albanian journalists, politicians and activists for their protest outside the headquarters of private broadcaster News 24 on Monday.
The 24-hour news channel went off air at 7:36 a.m. on Saturday during a police operation, its signal replaced by colored vertical bars on television screens across Albania.
When the police arrived on Saturday morning, they surrounded the premises — the state-owned former Auto Tractor Plant complex — on the outskirts of Tirana and ordered staff to leave the building.
They were acting on a recent court ruling to return the property to the state.
‘A blow to freedom of expression’
Anila Jole has been with News 24 since its launch in 2002, starting out as a reporter, rising to the post of editor-in-chief and now acting as the station’s director-general.
Jole called the move “arbitrary” and said it had been carried out “without prior written notice.”
“Press freedom is the foundation of a democratic society, and when it is undermined, democracy itself is at risk,” she said.
Focus Media Group, the owner of News 24 and several other media outlets including BalkanWeb, Panorama and Gazeta Shqiptare that used the premises, employs around 230 people.
It called the eviction “a blow to freedom of expression” in an EU candidate country.
From broadcast news to defense industry hub
Inaugurated in 1976, the Auto Tractor Plant was once the largest mechanical engineering enterprise in communist Albania. It is now set to be transformed into a defense industry hub producing uniforms and equipment for the armed forces.
The project will be managed by KAYO, a state-owned defense company established in 2024 to revive Albania’s military industry.
In April, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama hailed the plan as “a positive development for the armed forces, for our national economy and for the local community, bringing back to life an old infrastructure left idle for decades.”
‘A serious assault on free speech’
The Albanian Journalists’ Association called the police intervention “a flagrant violation of the fundamental principles of democracy and freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Constitution and international human rights instruments.”
It went on to say that “police actions that directly obstruct the work of journalists are unacceptable and constitute open pressure on the free media.”
The SafeJournalists Albania network posted a similar reaction on Facebook, saying that the police operation had blocked reporters’ access to their newsroom and restricted their ability to work. “Such actions endanger media freedom and independence,” it wrote.
Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Sali Berisha went further, calling the intervention a politically motivated attack and “a serious assault on free speech” aimed at silencing critical journalism.
State Attorney’s Office says lease expired in 2022
Albania’s State Attorney’s Office has defended the police intervention, saying the lease for the former Auto Tractor Plant premises used by Focus Media News expired in 2022.
The Ministry of Finance and Economy had set July 25, 2022 as the deadline to vacate the building, but the company did not hand over the property voluntarily, the statement said.
The dispute went through all levels of the judiciary. In its latest ruling on July 14, 2025, the Administrative Court of Appeal upheld an order for the immediate release of the premises. The court said the broadcaster’s media activity was not at risk, describing the case as a matter of office space that could be secured elsewhere.
Focus Media News rejected the statement, accusing the State Attorney’s Office of misinformation, and claims that the premises are its property and that it has the documentation to prove it.
News 24’s director-general, Anila Jole, said she hoped the court would “take a fair decision and suspend this intervention, giving the station time to relocate to other premises.”
Albania seeks to boost its military industry
In April, state-owned defense company KAYO signed a cooperation agreement with Italian shipbuilder “Fincantieri” to develop naval capabilities.
Also in April, it signed an agreement with the Israeli defense technology company Elbit Systems, with the aim of restoring the Aviation School in Vlora so that both military and civilian pilots can be trained there.
KAYO is also seeking private partners for joint ventures in weapons and ammunition production, which require €60 million (approx. $70 million) in investment and significant job creation.
On July 16, the Council of Ministers approved a state-level strategic framework agreement between the Ministries of Defense of Albania and Israel to strengthen Albania’s defense capabilities and increase bilateral cooperation in this field.
It is expected that joint projects involving companies from both countries will result in the production of drones, light weapons and artillery in Albania.
The government says the initiative will strengthen national defense, attract foreign capital and position the country as a regional defense hub.
Edited by: Aingeal Flanagan
