The European Union (EU) is preparing a contract worth 5,5 million euros with the European Endowment for Democracy to support the work of Radio Free Europe, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kalas said.
Last night, after the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, Kalas stressed that in a time of growing, unfiltered journalism, independent journalism is more important than ever.
"This is short-term, emergency funding intended for a safety net for independent journalism," Kalas pointed out.
Brussels decided to help RFE/RL after the administration of US President Donald Trump halted grants to pro-democracy media outlets, accusing them of promoting an agenda with a liberal bias.
Now RFE/RL's lawyers are fighting the US administration in court.
Kalas said, AP reports, that the EU will not be able to fill the funding gap for Radio Worldwide, but that she wants to help the medium "work and function in those countries that are in the neighborhood (of the EU) and that depend heavily on news coming from outside."
The High Representative also said that she hopes that member states will help with more money to support RFE/RL in the long term, N1 reports.
She added that the EU is looking for "strategic areas" where it can help as the US reduces foreign aid.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's corporate headquarters are in Washington, D.C., and its journalism headquarters are in the Czech Republic, which led the effort to find funding.
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