A joint EBU-EU ‘Regional Conference on Public Service Media and Minorities: Roma’ has established a task force to promote and exchange Roma-themed programmes among public service broadcasters in Central and South-Eastern Europe.

The first such event specifically devoted to PSM programming on Roma minorities, held in Pristina, stressed the importance of giving voice to one of the biggest minority groups in the Balkans and beyond.

Attending were Roma journalists and editors from Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, FYROM and Turkey. A number of Roma journalists from neighbouring countries with large Roma minorities, including Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania Slovakia and Slovenia, were also present.

Participants presented their own programmes about Roma and discussed the challenges in their work, as well as potential cooperation and programme exchanges.

All present adopted a Pledge, to be distributed to national PSM, governments and relevant international organizations, stating:

1. Public service broadcasters in Central and South-Eastern Europe will, with EBU support, create a network to exchange experiences and programmes
2. Public service broadcasters in Central and South-Eastern Europe will jointly reaffirm their commitment to raise awareness of the regional Roma situation while observing the highest professional ethics and standards
3. Training and education of Roma journalists are important for the preservation of Romany languages and culture, and for their fair reflection in Roma-related programmes
4. A task force of four experienced Roma journalists will pursue the promotion and exchange of Roma programmes
5. A group of experts will develop a curriculum to train Roma journalists
6. A chosen group of Roma journalists will liaise with relevant EU bodies
7. The promotion of Roma programmes will require cooperation with the Council of Europe (CoE); the South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO); the Eurovision News Exchange for the South East Europe network (known as ERNO) and other international organizations

The conference conclusions may be found here.

Held on 9-10 April in Pristina's Swiss Diamond Hotel, this was the second EBU-EU regional conference led by the EBU Partnership Programme, part of a multifaceted EBU-EU project on assistance for PSM in EU accession countries. The project was developed after the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the EBU and the EU last year.

The conference, chaired by former EBU Vice-President Boris Bergant, was opened by RTK Director General Mentor Shala; the EU Ambassador in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, and Kosovo’s Minister of European Integration, Vlora Citaku.

EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre, who was unable to attend in person, addressed the delegates via a video message.

Key speakers were:

• Dr Vera Clopcic, Institute for Ethnic Studies
• Andris Mellakauls, Chair of the (CoE) Steering Committee on Media and Information Society
• Sonia Seymour Mikich, Civis Medienstiftung
• Agron Bajrami, SEEMO
• Zeljka Lekic, ERNO
• Orhan Galjus, Patrin Radio, Amsterdam

The conference was organized in cooperation with Kosovo’s national broadcaster RTK; the EU Delegation in Kosovo; the CoE; SEEMO; Civis and ERNO.