To save people who are not afraid and think freely

Journalists should explain the process of European integration, it was said at the conference "The role and importance of the media in the process of EU integration - lessons learned and experiences from the region".

A member of the Department for Public Administration and Media Reform, EU Delegation, Patrik Schmelzer, proposes reform as an alternative for the countries of the Western Balkans in order to gain support.

"Reporting on the EU may not be as difficult as the 'bureaucratic monster' may seem at first, if its layers begin to peel back and report on it," he said.

Correspondent of several regional media from Brussels, Ines Sabalić pointed out that every country has its own path towards the EU.

"Each country should have specially designed news for reporting from Brussels," she said.

Sabalić emphasized that she was a correspondent for "Vijesti", and that it was her best experience when it comes to reporting from Brussels.

Augustin Paljokaj, the correspondent from Brussels of the daily newspapers "Koha Ditore" and "Jutarnji list", assessed that it is difficult to report from Brussels, but that it is also much easier than not having anyone there.

"I am especially sorry that there is no one to report from Montenegro, especially considering that this is a country that is negotiating to join the EU," he added.

The journalist of the independent daily "Vijesti" Neđeljko Rudović said that the mission of journalists is usually integration, to explain to the citizens where Montenegro is going and how things will stand after joining the EU.

"We need the EU when it comes to human rights and freedoms... The most important thing is to save people who are not afraid and think freely," said Rudović.

He believes that it is necessary that at least the public service has a correspondent from Brussels, and that it is strange that a correspondent does not exist considering that we are in the status of negotiations.

The conference was organized by the Center for Civic Education, in cooperation with Daily Press Vijesti, as part of the implementation of the project "EU news - get informed!".

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