News
12/14/2022 07:05
Today, the Secretariat for European Affairs, within the project Nordic support for progress of North Macedonia, organised a round table/discussion on the topic: "The role and importance of the media in the EU integration process - partnership, transparency and responsibility", at which the State Secretary and Deputy Chief Negotiator with the EU, Drita Abdiu-Halili, and Michael Atterhog, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in North Macedonia had opening speeches.
- European integration is currently the biggest and most important Macedonian project, but a very important question is how to make this process a priority for the citizens. Here, the role of the media is and will be of great importance, because journalists have the power to bring the process closer to the citizens and present success stories, Abdiu-Halili pointed out.
In the address, she said that the role of the media as the main channel of communication, with the primary task of informing citizens about the activities of domestic and European institutions during the accession process, is of great importance, but in a way, the task is not only to inform them but also to educate citizens about the various aspects of the European Union.
- The power in a democratic society should come from the citizens, and therefore the main challenge we face is to provide the citizens with correct and quality information so that they can make decisions based on accurate information. Therefore, it is necessary to create conditions for an open dialogue through the Europeanization of the public space, in which, in addition to the media, other actors of this process, such as political parties, the Government, the academic community, and the civil sector, will be included, Abdiu- Halili pointed out.
The State Secretary and Deputy Chief Negotiator with the EU said that the media has always been a partner in informing the public, and this statesmanship project will contribute to even closer cooperation given the importance of the European integration processes for the entire Macedonian society.
In the working part of the event, she gave an overview of the current screening process, communication of the EU integration process and cooperation with the media, and on the topic: "The EU and North Macedonia, the importance of the process and understanding of the technical aspects and the role of the media", Dragan Tilev, State Counsellor at the Secretariat for European Affairs, had his expert presentation.
The Secretariat for European Affairs recognizes the role of the media and the need to establish a sustainable partnership based on transparent work and responsible reporting. One of the key prerequisites for the dissemination of relevant and quality information to the public is the strengthening of the capacities of journalists, in order to enable even and in-depth coverage of the process, the Secretariat for European Affairs informs.
This event aimed to strengthen the cooperation between the Government and the media, given the importance of the European integration processes for the entire society of North Macedonia, and the main goal is to continue the efforts to establish a sustainable partnership based on transparent work as well as responsible reporting.