31/01/2020 (Agence Europe) – S&D Group Vice-President for Foreign Affairs in the European Parliament, Kati Piri, welcomed on 30 January the postponement of the vote on the so-called ‘anti-defamation package’ by the Albanian Parliament until the law is evaluated by the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. The law, which would allow significant fines for online media and give more powers to media regulators, has been criticised by media and civil society organisations. “This is a very good, well-considered decision by the majority of the Albanian Parliament, as freedom of the media is the essential condition for countries aspiring to join the EU”, Ms Piri stressed. She called on all Albanian political parties to take the Venice Commission’s recommendations “very seriously” before voting. (CG)