The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATSH) hosted the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) Spring Conference, under the theme “Threats to Journalism & News Agencies & Tools to Protect Themselves,” for the first time in Tirana taking place at Hotel Plaza, KosovaPress reports.

The Director General of ATSH, Valbona Zhupa, along with the News Director for Europe and Africa at Associated Press, James Jordan, opened the conference which is attended by leaders and representatives from 32 European news agencies from Kosovo, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Finland, Croatia, Ukraine, Spain, Turkey, Serbia, Czechia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria, and others.

Kosovo is represented by the KosovaPress News Agency, which is part of the Balkan News Agencies networks, ABNA (www.abnase.com), and Europe’s EANA (www.newsalliance.com). KosovaPress President Skënder Krasniqi, Non-Executive President Clive Marshall, and CEO Suzana Hashani Rakovica are participating in the conference where threats to journalists are being discussed.

At the start of the conference, a promotional video for tourist Albania was screened.

In her speech, ATSH Director General Valbona Zhupa said that the representatives of the news agencies gathered here today constitute the heart of reliable information on our continent and beyond.

Zhupa focused on the challenges facing journalism and news agencies today, as well as the need for joint action in a rapidly changing information environment.

She called for strengthening fact-checking and transparency as essential tools to protect the integrity of news.

“Today, journalism and news agencies face a more challenging environment than ever before. From disinformation spreading within seconds, to economic pressures, declining trust, and the dominance of global platforms, all of us in this room know that every day the great mission of the press is put to the test: to inform in accordance with the highest principles of humanism. In fact, what unites us is precisely the fact that no serious agency can face this reality alone,” she emphasized.

Zhupa pointed out that “the seriousness of information, the speed at which it spreads, and the accuracy of our sources remain a compass for the rest of the media, where different interests intervene to misuse information and to distort its content.”

The ATSH director listed some of the challenges faced by news agencies across Europe, highlighting disinformation as the most significant, describing it as “one of the greatest wounds of modern times.”

“We live in a time when lies spread faster than the truth and are often believed without verifying sources. In a market overloaded with anonymous and unverified sources, the distinction between fact and opinion has blurred and continues to undermine true information. This is a challenge for everyone who takes the truth seriously. And we do. That is why fact-checking and transparency about our sources lie at the core of our work,” she underlined.

Another sensitive topic addressed by Zhupa was the distribution of news by large technology platforms.

“Large technology platforms distribute news produced by us without guaranteeing fair compensation. Moreover, these algorithms often favor emotional, conflictual content or simply aim to capture sensationalism, which is not necessarily accurate or verified. Here, we need a common voice and joint solutions. Some countries have started negotiating new models. We must be part of this discussion and address genuine concerns,” she said.

Touching on editorial independence, she stated: “In many countries, pressure does not come directly as classic censorship. It comes in more refined ways. And this pressure is as real as direct censorship because it is linked to interest groups. The inclusion of high moral standards among journalists and, above all, respect for the Journalistic Code remains a challenge.”

Zhupa noted that public trust is perhaps the biggest challenge media face today. To restore this trust, she emphasized the need for more transparency, open communication with the public, and continuous self-criticism.

Furthermore, in her speech at the conference, ATSH Director Valbona Zhupa identified three main pillars to address today’s concerns through quality journalism: broader cooperation among agencies, investment in modern technologies such as artificial intelligence for fact-checking, and increasing the visibility of agencies in public debate.

“We must invest in our platforms, in artificial intelligence to detect fake news, in more efficient content management systems, in applications that bring our news closer to the ordinary citizen. We must be more present in public debate—not only through the content we produce but also by educating the public about our role. Many people still do not know that the news they read in the media or hear on the radio comes from a news agency. This must change, but we also must exercise our authority so that our news is a reference for institutions and the public,” Zhupa declared.

In conclusion, Zhupa stressed the need for news agencies to remain united and uphold professional ethics at all times.

“These are not easy times for journalism. But they are times of great historical significance. Because precisely in such times, the importance of the great work we do for the public is weighed. We cannot afford to be passive or nostalgic. But we have the power to be smart, dedicated, and united. In this battle, there are no peripheral places or major centers. Every responsible voice matters. I firmly believe that if we maintain ethics and respect the standards of good journalism, increase quality, and strengthen cooperation, then news agencies will be irreplaceable and quality journalism will survive and face any crisis. Just as it always has,” concluded Valbona Zhupa.

Through several panels, the conference will also separately address other issues with Tina Mari Flem, Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of NTB; Peter Kropsch, Executive Director of the German news agency DPA and Chair of the EANA Copyright Committee; Nataliya Kostina, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform; Aimilios Perdikaris, Executive Director of the Greek news agency ANA-MPA; Hanspeter Kellermüller, Executive Director of the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA; and Bilgehan Öztürk, Manager of Strategic Communications and International Relations at the Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansi./KosovaPress