Sergiy Tomilenko’s meeting at DG ENEST: discussed the sustainability of Ukrainian media

President of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), Sergiy Tomilenko, held an important and meaningful meeting at the European Commission with representatives of the Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST).

The President of the Union continues the program of meetings in Brussels, where he is in the framework of the UNESCO World Freedom of Expression Day.

“I am grateful for the dialogue with the Deputy Head of the D3 Unit of DG ENEST, Helena Marrez, and Sofia Grünwald, responsible for the policy of fundamental rights and media freedom. I am especially glad that the representative of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Anna Dovha, participated in the meeting,” Sergiy Tomilenko wrote on Facebook.

During the meeting, the President of the NUJU informed about the key priorities of the Union, in particular, about support for front-line newspapers and the activities of the Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC). The European Commission representatives were particularly interested in the issue of the sustainability of the Ukrainian media sector, primarily in the regions.

Sergiy Tomilenko presented the NUJU position, supported by the EFJ Annual Meeting, that every regional reconstruction and reconstruction program in Ukraine should include a place for the reconstruction of the regional media sector. After all, it is independent regional media that will effectively exercise public control over the spending of funds and the definition of priorities.

Against the background of the sharp closure of American aid programs, it is important to coordinate the efforts of European institutions for comprehensive support for democratic processes in Ukraine, where independent media play a key role.

DG ENEST is responsible for the implementation of the EU’s enlargement and Eastern Neighborhood policy. DG ENEST manages the majority of the Union‘s financial and technical assistance to EU candidate countries, as well as to the countries of the EU’s Eastern Neighborhood, including Ukraine. This assistance is provided through several financial instruments, including the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III), the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), the Fund for Ukraine, and other mechanisms.

NUJU Information Service