EU to increase support to independent media in W. Balkans

EU to increase support to independent media in W. Balkans

New EU funds will permit the training of young journalists and mid-career journalists across the region, which will stimulate investigative journalism which contributes to reconciliation, the press release said.

A new program of technical assistance to public broadcaster's radio-television networks will back the regional co-production of investigative reporting, youth media content and digitization, the statement added.

In addition, new drives will be launched to support independent media together with the European Fund for Democracy backing startup independent outlets and smaller initiatives, the press release said.

Freedom of expression is a fundamental value of the EU and is inextricably linked to further progress on the road toward the EU, the statement quoted Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn, who participated in the conference, as saying.

The EU-Western Balkan Media Days congress took place in Tirana on Nov. 9-10, where it brought together over 250 representatives of media companies and organizations, and policy makers from the EU and the Western Balkans.