On the occasion of the meeting of the jury of the CEI SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism, held in Trieste on 29 June, the CEI Secretariat - in cooperation with the news agency ANSA - organised a open panel discussion on the media in South East Europe.
Contributions on their professional and personal experiences were provided by Oliver Vujovic, Secretary General of South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO); Marina Constantinoiu, editor-in-chief of miscareaderezistenta.ro; Milorad Ivanovic, editor-in-chief of Newsweek Serbia; Francesco Martino, correspondent from Sofia of Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso.
Francesco De Filippo, editor in chief of ANSA Friuli Venezia Giulia, moderated the meeting while Barbara Fabro, CEI Senior Executive Officer, provided background information on the CEI involvement in media-related activities.
The audience actively debated upon topics such as media freedom and transparency, quality journalism, investigative journalism. During the event, a short video from Syria was presented by Marco Gombacci as an example of journalistic work under difficult and precarious conditions.
Media freedom and freedom of expression in general are high on the list of social improvements to be achieved on the road to EU membership. That is why the CEI is particularly engaged in supporting activities promoting free and diverse media. The CEI is also particularly committed to endorsing investigative journalism through the CEI SEEMO Award as well as to supporting the annual South East Europe Media Forum which provides a valuable opportunity for exchanging best practices of professional reporting and encouraging a debate at various levels tackling the relationship between media and politics.
The next South East Europe Media Forum is taking place in Tirana, Albania, on 15-16 November 2018.
For more information: fabro@cei.int