The European PROGRES development programme, in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia and the European Integration Office of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, has launched a competition for the best media report by local and regional media outlets on the topic of European integration and its impact on the daily life of the population in the southeast and southwest of the country.
Reports printed/broadcast in the period from 15 December 2016 to 1 March 2017 should focus on overall support provided by the European Union in partnership with the governments of Switzerland and Serbia, through European PROGRES, to local development with a view to improving the quality of life of the population in the 34 Programme municipalities.
Prizes will be awarded in eight categories: best TV broadcast, best radio broadcast, best printed report, best online report, best series of media reports, best report on entrepreneurship, best report on a project financially supported by the EU in one of the Programme municipalities, as well as best report on potential projects that would contribute to better quality of life for the local community in these municipalities.
Stressing the important role of the media, especially local media, in informing citizens of Serbia about the process of European integration Marko Vujačić, European PROGRES National Programme Manager, said: "We hope that this competition will encourage journalists of local and regional media outlets to report on topics and projects that constitute the essence of what European integration brings to citizens, but which are not always the focus of attention, given that high-level political topics often prevail over those relating to social and economic development. "
Eligible to take part in the competition are local and regional print media outlets, news agency services, radio programmes, television programmes or internet portals based in one of the local self-governments (LSG) in the European PROGRES Area of Responsibility. Likewise, reports can also be sent by regional media outlets based outside of the Programme municipalities, which have been actively reporting on events in at least five Programme LSGs over the last two years.
The prizes will be awarded to the best competitors in all eight categories, both to media outlets and their reporters and journalists who prepared the reports. The European Union and the Government of Switzerland will award media outlets through European PROGRES with equipment worth up to EUR 5,000, in order to build the technical capacity of local and regional media outlets. The European Integration Office will organize a working visit for authors of the media reports rated as best to the relevant national state institutions involved in the process of European integration in Belgrade, followed by a study visit organized by the EU Delegation to Brussels, where they will meet EU officials, visit EU institutions, as well as the cultural landmarks of Brussels, and meet their colleagues, who report from Brussels.
More detailed information on the competition, and the application form, can be found on the European PROGRES website, http://www.europeanprogres.org/konkursi/sr/, while info sessions will be organized in Novi Pazar, Vranje, Bujanovac and Niš according to the schedule below.
SCHEDULE OF INFO SESSIONS TO BE HELD IN MUNICIPALITIES AND TOWNS
NOVI PAZAR
Tuesday, 20 December 2016, at 2 p.m.
European PROGRES Office (Kragujevačka 1)
BUJANOVAC
Thursday, 22 December 2016, at 10 a.m.
Department of the Subotica Faculty of Economics in Bujanovac (Karađorđa Petrovića bb)
VRANJE
Thursday, 22 December 2016, at 1 p.m.
European PROGRES Office (Kneza Miloša 52)
Niš
Friday, 23 December 2016, at 11 a.m.
European PROGRES Office (Ćirila i Metodija 23)
