Taulant Balla, the leader of the Socialist Party’s parliamentary group, has entered a public clash with Gjergj Erebara, a BIRN journalist and economic analyst. The conflict was sparked after a satirical post that Erebara shared on his Facebook platform.
Erebara published an AI-generated image mocking Balla’s surname and the drone aerial photos the politician often uses to criticize opposition rallies calling for the removal of Prime Minister Edi Rama. In the caption, the journalist wrote ironically that 30 activists were urgently needed to change one letter in the surname, adding that the service was also open to drug traffickers from Elbasan and that the image was merely an artistic creation.
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Balla’s response was not limited to the journalist but extended to the media outlet where he works. He directly challenged embassies and funder George Soros, whose Open Society Foundations financially support BIRN. The MP labeled Erebara a “forger” and an editor at an organization that claims to engage in investigative journalism and promote transparency.
Furthermore, Balla directed critical questions at international donors, including OSFA, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and several foreign embassies. He asked for clarification on whether such practices represent the quality and transparent journalism they claim to support, questioning whether such actions would be tolerated in the donors’ home countries.
