Wrote: Etrit Rexhepi
An article has brought back an issue from a year earlier, regarding the employment of the son of the policeman killed in Banjska, Afrim Bunjaku, in a local company in Vushtrri. The event has been brought back in a new context, linking the case to the local elections in the Municipality of Vushtrri.
"Former KLA soldier, Ferit Idrizi, hired the son of hero Afrim Bunjaku - Kurti and Meholli 'forgot' the blood of freedom!" is the title of the article published on Wednesday (October 22) by the portal "gazetakosova.net".
Why is this article being discussed?
The text clearly favors in content and title the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) candidate for mayor of Vushtrri, Ferit Idrizi, and discredits his opponent in the runoff for mayor of this municipality, Sylejman Meholli of the Vetëvendosje Movement (LVV), and the leader of this party, Albin Kurti, who is also the current acting prime minister.
The text uses emotional and laudatory language for Idrizi, such as:
“… shows true respect for national sacrifice”
"...has once again proven that actions speak louder than words"
"Last year marked a sensitive human and institutional act, Idrizi hired the son of the hero Afrim Bunjaku"
The article uses negative and discrediting language about Meholli and Kurti, such as:
"The Kurti government and candidate Meholli fall into empty words and political accusations"
"Meanwhile, no Bunjak family member has been employed by the central institutions led by Albin Kurti's Government. This disregard for the families of heroes has now become a silent governance model, where patriotic words replace the lack of deeds."
"Instead of talking about ideas, development and programs for citizens, the Vetëvendosje candidate has chosen the path of political manipulation, to smear a man who has proven through his actions that he is at the service of all, regardless of ethnicity or belief."
Disinformation:
The article claims that the families of former police officers Afrim Bunjaku and Enver Zymeri have not received any concrete support from the Government.
"In fact, not only the family of Afrim Bunjaku, but also that of Enver Zymberi or other national families of Kosovo have not received any concrete support from the central executive. This fact is a clear indication of the huge gap between the nationalist rhetoric of the current government and real actions on the ground."
The facts:
On July 27, 2011, the then-government, led by Hashim Thaçi, allocated 25 euros to the family of the fallen police officer, Enver Zymeri. (see here)
On September 27, 2023, the Government led by Albin Kurti, mentioned in the article, allocated 50 thousand euros for financial support for the family of Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku. (see here)
On October 10, 2025, the acting Government approved the allocation of 50 thousand euros to Bunjak's family for the construction of a reception space that will serve all citizens, as a sign of respect and honor for his life and work. (see here)
The article also mentions that Meholli got the heroes' first and last names wrong.On the other hand, during the election campaign, the Vetëvendosje Movement candidate for mayor of Vushtrri, Sylejman Meholli, showed a lack of seriousness and respect for the highest figures of national sacrifice, by publicly mispronouncing the first and last names of heroes Afrim Bunjaku and Enver Zymberi. Such an action is not just a slip of the tongue — it is a sign of unpreparedness, lack of sensitivity, and minimal knowledge of the new history of the country he intends to lead."
Hibrid.info has verified and found that Meholli in a interview on KTV, broadcast on October 21, made a mistake by saying Zymberi. Meanwhile, in the Facebook post, sharing part of the statement, Meholli correctly wrote the last name of the murdered policeman.
The issue of the surname of the police officer killed in 2011 was discussed and had prompted occasional reports in the past. Hibrid.info had covered the reports in 2023 on this issue. From the controlled and verified facts, it resulted that the police officer's surname was Zymeri, as confirmed by the deceased's family members, and not Zymberi as claimed in various cases.
Further in the article, Meholli's accusations that Idrizi "collaborates with the Serbian List" are described as absurd, political manipulation and an attempt to smear Idrizi.
"But recently, Meholli has moved on to absurd accusations, attacking Mayor Idrizi for “collaborating with the Serbian List.” “The city of Hasan Prishtina, Afrim Bunjaku and Enver Zymer, two heroes of sovereignty, does not deserve a mayor who collaborates with the Serbian List, which is responsible for the murders of these two police officers,” Meholli said."
Bringing back old news
The news about the employment of Afrim Bunjaku's son in the local enterprise "Përparimi" in Vushtrri was published on May 23, 2024 by various media agencies. (See here)
The re-reporting of the employment of Afrim Bunjaku's son, related to the election period, has also been published in other media. (see here and here)
In some cases the title has been used "The son of the hero Afrim Bunjaku was employed by Ferit Idrizi, although none of his family members were employed by the Kurti Government," implying that the employment has recently occurred. (see here, here, here and here)
In one case, the title "Ferit Idrizi hires the son of hero Afrim Bunjaku".
How should sources be balanced in articles when names are apostrophized?
"Basics of mass communication" by Lindita Aliu Tahiri:
Is impartiality possible and does it reflect reality?
Impartiality as a principle of professional journalism is difficult to assess, because it is simply difficult to say something without having any position. Generally, impartiality means balancing sources and choices, reflecting different perspectives, and presenting at least two sides with different judgments. Avoiding judgmental assessments, emotional language, and personal opinions also enables neutrality, and therefore journalists must reach a position of self-reflection and awareness by distancing themselves from their own media production.
The article did not mention that it sought comment from Meholli, Kurti, or government representatives on the allegations in the article.
About the election results in Vushtrri:
On October 12, PDK's Ferit Idrizi, who is seeking a second term as mayor of Vushtrri, received 45.24 percent of the votes in the mayoral race, according to the results so far on the Central Election Commission (CEC) website. VV's Sylejman Meholli came in second with 30.81 percent. The two are expected to face off in the second round, on November 9. (see here)
Analyze
The article published by "gazetakosova.net" entitled: "Former KLA soldier, Ferit Idrizi, hired the son of hero Afrim Bunjaku - Kurti and Meholli 'forgot' the blood of freedom!" is biased and favors the PDK candidate for mayor of Vushtrri, Ferit Idrizi, over his opponent Sylejman Meholli of the VV.
In content, the article refers to Idrizi with emotional and laudatory language, while Meholli and the acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, with discrediting language.
It also contains disinformation, as the Government of Kosovo has financially supported the family of police officer Afrim Bunjaku, and not as claimed in the article that there was no "concrete support from the central executive".
Moreover, the information about the employment of Afrim Bunjaku's son is from a year earlier and dates back to the time of the local elections in Kosovo.
The article lacks balanced sources. It does not state that any comments were sought from the parties mentioned.
Based on its work methodology, hibrid.info assesses this publication as "biased reporting".
rationale
“Biased reporting” is defined as information content that clearly favors facts, positions, and conclusions that align with a particular narrative, often disregarding the rule of contact with the other party when it comes to claims that are damaging to one’s reputation or portrayed by certain actors with a negative approach. One form of biased reporting is the selective presentation of facts, where facts that support a particular thesis are emphasized, while facts that do not confirm it are neglected.