TIRANA – Johannes Hahn, the EU Commissioner for the European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, will be attending the EU-Western Balkans Media Day, due to be held from 8 to 10 November in Tirana.
The EU Delegation to Albania said on its website on Wednesday that the event will bring together over 250 representatives of media outlets and media-organisations, as well as policymakers from the EU and Western Balkan countries.
Ahead of his Tirana visit, Commissioner Johannes Hahn said: “Freedom of expression is a fundamental value of the EU and as such a cornerstone of the enlargement process, with a strong and independent press. The launch of the EU-Western Balkans Media Days will give a fresh impetus to strengthening media freedom and establishing a more vibrant, diverse and economically sound media landscape in the region, which is able to cope with the great challenges in the media sector.”
The EU-Western Balkans Media Days will broaden the scope of topics in order to discuss the media situation in the Western Balkans from various angles, like the change in the media landscape which requires new, innovative business models. The conference’s results will help adjusting the European Union’s approach to support and to strengthen the media sector in the Western Balkans.