EC Urges Macedonia to Establish 'Media Culture'

The European Commission will require from Macedonia to establish a “media culture”, according to publications by Macedonian newspaper.

In order to to receive a date for the start of EU accession negotiations, Macedonia should establish a “media culture”, according to a Macedonian newspaper publication, cited by BTA news agency on Tuesday, October 8th.

EC will outline its requirement for “media culture” establishment in Macedonia in its incoming Autumn Report on the latest progress of Macedonia in its EU accession process.

It is not clear however, what exactly is the meaning of the phrase “media culture” and how Macedonia is supposed to establish it, pointed out “Utrinski Vestnik” in its publication on the matter.

Requiring from Macedonian authorities to establish a “media culture” would be the latest in a set of conditions that Macedonia should meet in order to receive a date to start EU accession negotiations.

The report, to be issued on October 16th will include negative remarks from EC to Macedonia regarding the freedom of expression and the media in Macedonia, according to the newspaper.

Previously, in its Spring Report from April, EC declared its “continued concerns about self-censorship, poor labour rights of journalists and the public's access to objective reporting” in Macedonia.

Macedonia will also be criticized by EC about the fact that the announced good-neighbor agreement with Bulgaria is not yet signed, during his visit to Macedonia in September, Bulgaria’s Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin pointed out that such an agreement would be beneficial for both countries, “and especially Macedonia.”

Macedonia was granted by EC the statute of a candidate back in 2005, but an ongoing bitter dispute with Greece over Macedonia's name continues to hamper the country's bids to join EU.

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