Senior Journalists from SEENPM Countries Study the Situation in Kosovo

July 4, 2009, Pristina – The South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM) organized a five-day study visit for ten senior editors and correspondents from five countries to Kosovo June 29 – July 3, 2009. The tour was part of the project Promoting Quality Reporting on Kosovo in South East Europe by Exchange of Media Professionals, implemented with funds made available through the Balkan Trust for Democracy. The main aim of this project is to support the enhancement of the quality of reporting on Kosovo in the countries of South East Europe, and give senior reporters and newsroom decision makers a first-hand experience related to developments in Kosovo one and a half year after the declaration of independence.

This study visit included the following key activities: meeting politicians and political analysts in order to understand the social and political environment, talking to representatives of main domestic and international institutions that are responsible for the institutional aspects of Kosovo’s societal life, meeting the representatives of the Albanian and Serbian communities, visiting the divided city of Mitrovica symbolizing the fragile political and security situation and the deep ethnic division between the two largest communities in Kosovo, visiting media organizations and meetings with the representatives of the media.

The program of the study tour:

29 June, Monday 17:00

Registration, orientation 

19:30  Dinner with Kelmend Hapçiu, Petrit Saracini, Agron BajramiGuest:Arben Hajredinaj, Programme Officer of the Media Section at the OSCE Kosovo mission 

30 June, Tuesday

9:30 Roundtable – overview of the situation in Kosovo and Kosovar media –Agron Bajrami, (chairman of the KMI Board), Nehat Islami (chairman of Kosovo Press Council), Kelmend Hapçiu (KMI director), 

11:00 Meeting with Christophe Lamfalussy, head of the EULEX PPIO, and ICO spokesperson Andy McGuffee.

13:00 Meeting with Mr. Astrit Salihu – Kosovo Prime Minister’s political adviser.

15:00 Meeting with Mr. Blerim Shala (vice chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosova, and publisher of daily “Zëri”)

1 July, Wednesday

09:00 Visit to Mitrovica. Meeting with Mr. Bajram Rexhepi, mayor of Mitrovica. Visiting the bridge, which divides the town and two communities.

15:00 Visit to Media Centre Caglavica – discussion about the Serbian language media with the representatives of theCentre

2 July, Thursday 

09:30 Visiting the leading Kosovar daily newspaper “Koha Ditore” – budget meeting and discussion with Mr. Agron Bajrami, editor-in-chief.

12:00-13:00 Visiting the only public broadcaster – Radio Television Kosova

15:00-16:00 Visiting one of the two national commercial broadcasters – RTV 21  

3 July, Friday 

09:00  Discussion on editorial policies in SEE – presentation and distribution of the editorial guidelines/e-books produced by SEENPM in 7 languages – Petrit Saracini, Macedonian Institute for Media Venue: Kosovo Media Institute, Pristina

11.00 Wrap-up

Participants of the study tour:

Mr. Sasa Delic, Public TV, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ms. Jasna Fetahovic, Oslobodjenje daily newspaper, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ms. Sanja Mileusevic-Pavic, HTV, Croatia

Mr. Boris Pavelic, Novi List daily newspaper, Croatia

Mr. Naser Selmani, Vest daily newspaper, Macedonia

Ms. Daniela Sazdanovska, Sega weekly , Macedonia

Ms. Evis Halili, Koha daily newspaper, Macedonia

Mr. Brano Mandic, Vijesti daily newspaper, Montenegro

Ms.Milica Marinovic,  TV IN, Montenegro

Ms. Branislava Opranovic, Dnevnik daily newspaper, Serbia