Joint declaration by ‘Media Dialogue Eastern Partnership’ and DJV
Daring more Eastern Europe: The media and politics in Germany still have too little focus on Eastern European countries. This does not do justice to the important role and historical significance of the countries of Eastern Europe. ‘Media Dialogue Eastern Partnership’ and the German Association of Journalists (DJV) are calling for more reporting and background information in the German media and more attention for the countries of the Eastern Partnership with a joint declaration at the 33rd Polish Economic Forum on 4 September 2024 in Karparcz, Poland.
At the ‘Davos of the East’ in Karparcz (Poland), more than 6,000 participants from politics, business and NGOs will discuss the economic, political and ecological challenges of the present under the motto ‘Time of New Leaders – Shaping the Future Together’. With a view to the future, a stronger orientation towards Eastern Europe is also necessary. The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, the dictatorship in Belarus and the Kremlin’s attempts to destabilise Georgia and Moldova also threaten peaceful democratic development in Western Europe.
A free, independent media landscape on our continent is of central importance in the defence of democratic values. Following the change of government in Poland, signals have been sent out in favour of more freedom of the press, while in other Eastern European countries independent media are coming under increasing economic and political pressure.
Freedom in Europe is also defended by an independent and critical press. Journalism is one of the most powerful weapons in the fight against disinformation and propaganda, according to the organisations in Karparcz. However, press freedom in Europe must be defended against attacks. Journalists need more protection in their work and the economic conditions for a functioning media landscape must be strengthened.
Media Dialogue Eastern Partnership and DJV call on the governments of the EU member states in their ‘Karparcz Declaration’:
Press freedom in Europe must be strengthened! Freedom of the press, as guaranteed in Article 11 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, must also play a central role in further negotiations with candidate countries such as Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia. Even in the existing member states, freedom of the press must not only be guaranteed on paper, but must also be an enforceable right in reality. The Commission’s ‘Rule of Law Report’ has highlighted key weaknesses that need to be remedied.
Protection of journalists: Member states must take measures to ensure that journalists are better protected in their work. In the 2023 Monitoring Report, the ECPMF and the EFJ identified 691 attacks on journalists and media professionals in Europe. This high number poses a threat to journalism.
Promoting independent journalism in crisis and war regions: Whether frontline news in Ukraine, the work of Belarusian journalists in exile – journalism is particularly important in precarious regions in order to obtain and disseminate independent information and immunise discourse against the influence of disinformation and state propaganda. On the one hand, this requires an infrastructure that enables journalistic work on the ground and, on the other, well-trained colleagues. Germany and the EU can help here by promoting training, courses and the exchange of journalists in crisis and war regions. Media partnerships can make an important contribution to the survival of independent regional media, particularly in Ukraine. Currently, protective equipment can help to make work on the ground safer and protect the lives of journalists.
Better linking of cooperation: Journalists need to work more transnationally in order to be able to report effectively on issues that have a transnational impact. Funding programmes can strengthen the European exchange of journalists and educational work, also in terms of European integration. The EU Commission and the Federal Foreign Office have a special role to play here.
Link to German original source: https://www.djv.de/medienpolitik/pressefreiheit/media-dialogue-eastern-partnership/
