COE, EU LAUNCH A JOINT PROGRAM TO PROMOTE PLURALISM OF THE MEDIA IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
Lusine Vasilyan
“Radiolur”
17.06.2011 17:55
The Council of Europe and the European Union have launched a joint
project of Promoting Freedom, Professionalism and Pluralism of the
Media in the South Caucasus and Moldova. The two-year program is
implemented by the Council of Europe and is financed by the European
Union.
The program aims to support the traditional and new media in Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova, development of legal and institutional
guarantees corresponding to Council of Europe standards, contribute
to the improvement of the quality of journalism and ensure media
pluralism.
Different courses, discussions and conferences will be organized
within the framework of the program, representatives of the two
European structures told reporters today.
According to Laila Dervisagic, Adviser to CoE Department for
Cooperation, positive moves are apparent in the Armenian media field,
but there are problems, as well. Experts of the European Union and
the Council of Europe will try to help solve those problems.
According to her, it’s first of all necessary to improve media-related
legislation. Bringing the norms of freedom of expression and media
activity close to Europeans standards is one of the main objectives
of the program.
Representative of the EU delegation to Armenia, Jean-Christophe Gayrand
says there is need for more plurality in Armenian media and they will
be try to achieve it within the framework of the program.