Study visits in three EU countries for 15 journalists from Moldova

Hungary, Romania and Czech Republic were visited by a group of journalists from Moldova during November 9-13, 2014. The study visits were organized by the Independent Journalism Center with the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), within the project FHI 360 "Partnerships for Sustainable Civil Society in Moldova".

Journalists from 13 media institutions: newspapers, radio, TV and online, and freelancers from different localities of Moldova went in groups of five people in Prague, Bucharest and respectively Budapest, where they met several journalists, political analysts, economists and representatives of the European institutions. The visits have facilitated the exchange of experience and techniques on covering subjects related to the EU, European values and the role of media in the process of integration into the European community.

After returning to Moldova, participants remarked the usefulness of organizing such activities for journalists, especially on current and relevant subjects, such as European integration.

Victor Ursu, reporter of deschide.md portal, who visited Prague said: "The visit was extremely useful while the Czech Republic's experience in the process of EU integration has brought good changes for the population. It is about the efficiency of state institutions to serve the citizens, creating favorable conditions for business development and EU structural funds."

Svetlana Coropcean, reporter of Jurnal de Chisinau newspaper went along with four other journalists to Bucharest. She pointed out that she learned a lot about European integration and how it is perceived by society and reflected in the media. "Joining the EU has brought many advantages to Romania, including economic growth and the implementation of European quality standards. Moldovan citizen should understand that they have been inoculated with a number of false and even silly myths about the EU, including loss of sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova if it will join the EU, prohibition of pig slaughter, local producers will not meet the European standards, respectively will lack the market. To ordinary people it is important to understand that the EU means above all quality: the air that we breathe, the water we consume, the products on the market.", S. Coropcean added.

Natalia Scurtul, freelancer, Tiraspol, mentioned after the trip to Hungary: "Such visits are extremely useful; they give us the possibility to communicate with our colleagues from countries that went through a democratization process that lasted for years and are now members of EU. It was interesting to hear from ordinary people how easy or difficult was the EU integration process for their countries."
As a result of the study visit, more materials about Moldova's European integration will be written and published by the 15 journalists, beneficiaries of the project.

The study visits have been organized as part of the “Advocacy Campaigns Aimed at Improving Transparency of Media Ownership, Access to Information and promotion of EU values  and integration” , implemented by the IJC, which is, in its turn, part of the Moldova Partnerships for Sustainable Civil Society project, implemented by FHI 360.
The organization of these study visits became possible due to the generous support of the American people, offered through the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The opinions expressed at the event belong to participants and might not reflect the position of the USAID or the US Government.