EBU Vice-President Boris Bergant chaired a
meeting in the European Parliament (Brussels) on Friday 8 February
aimed at coordinating media projects in the countries implicated in
the Stablity Pact for South Eastern Europe*.
The meeting was attended by around 50
delegates, including representatives of EBU Members from that
region and of Members involved in training and cooperation projects
there, and officials from the European Parliament, European
Commission and Council of Europe.
"The EBU and Circom Regional have
been forerunners of a united Europe," Bergant said in an
opening statement, noting that it was exactly 10 years since the
former members of the OIRT - the broadcasting union based in Prague
- had joined the EBU. "... Now we want to
accelerate our efforts to develop real public service broadcasting
in countries where this is still not enough
understanding."
Key elements in this drive would be competence, ethics and finance,
Bergant continued. A relatively large amount of money was
available, but there had been a lack of coordination and much aid
had gone to the "wrong addresses". The meeting aimed to be a forum
for sharing experiences, identifying needs, and agreeing on future
areas of cooperation.
Kongalidis Eleftherios-Lefty, President of
Circom Regional, said that the need now was for funds and equipment
rather than more seminars.
Kiril Gotsev, director general of BNT
(Bulgaria), agreed that there had been "enough seminars".
Higher priorities included good legislation, clear rules for
collaboration and expenditure, and a harmonization of equipment and
stands to facilitate programme exchange.
Jouko Blomberg of YLE, who oversees the
ERNO regional news exchange run from Sarajevo, said the region had
good reporters and cameramen but poor equipment. There was a need
for one decent video camera and editing suite per regional
centre.
Modrag Vucinic (director general of RTCG,
Montenegro) called for the affirmation of the region's
historical and present value through the organization of a new
media festival.
After information from ARD, ZDF,
francetélévisions and the BBC on their media aid to the region, the
meeting decided:
- to formulate a common approach on media
assistance and recommend a number of valuable projects;
- to forward the findings of the meeting to
the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern
Europe and other relevant donor organizations;
- that all Members from that region should
seek to join the national Stability Pact committees in their
countries;
- to elaborate a co-production proposal for
the CARDS regional programme;
- to include the Radio and TV Departments,
and the International Training Unit in this work;
- that the EBU Brussels Office should
establish a network facility to collect and distribute information
on all media-related assistance in the region.
* Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia,
Serbia & Montenegro, and FYR Macedonia. (Partner
countries include Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova,
Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey.)
