We regret to conclude that the recent visit of The New York Times journalist to the north of Kosovo, as well as the subsequent article “Blame, Hate and License Plates in a Divided Kosovo Town” published in this paper on 4 September 2022, quoting several different interlocutors from the north of Kosovo, provides a range of inaccurate information. In only two paragraphs of the aforementioned article, journalist Andrew Higgins, quoted inaccurately his interlocutor from Aktiv, thereby conveying his own, personal impression on the current political and security crisis in the north of Kosovo.
The efforts of international diplomacy, including socially responsible individuals, are aimed at de-escalating the current crisis, which is exactly the reason why information, such as the ones published in The New York Times, can be interpreted as unfounded and tendentious, and may lead to misunderstandings on the part of readers and the general public.
Hence, NGO Aktiv publicly distances itself from the inaccurate information presented in the mentioned The New York Times article, and appeals for responsible and accurate reporting, and media with journalistic ethics in the forefront, rather than sensational and biased reporting.
NGO Aktiv will continue to provide its full support to Belgrade – Pristina dialogue, sparing no effort in this process to allow objective and impartial information, based on facts and its longstanding expertise in socio-political relations.
p.s. This Reaction was also sent to both The New York Times journalist and newsroom.