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PR of parties: Modernisation under high pressure

by Dobrina Trifonova, Christian Spahr

Network meeting of PR experts in Bucharest at the invitation of the KAS Media Program

Ten press spokespersons and communications experts from six South East European countries met in Bucharest on 6th and 7th June 2015 to discuss political media work with German colleagues. The KAS Media Program South East Europe organised this year’s network meeting, with the title "Communicating Democracy", for the first time together with the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, the Brussels-based Think Tank of the European People’s Party (EPP).

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The press and public relations work of political parties in South East Europe takes place in a polarised media landscape. Spokespersons and PR managers must also establish themselves as strategic advisers within parties and ensure their teams are adequately equipped. The rapid growth of social media creates additional pressure to adopt new PR instruments.

The workshop was opened by the Director of the KAS Media Program South East Europe, Christian Spahr, and EVP Press Spokeswoman Ecaterina Casinge. Casinge emphasised the importance of international exchange on political communication in addressing similar challenges existing in many countries. Correct communication of European ideas was crucial to the ability to take collective decisions more easily. Developing networks of press spokespersons of governments and political parties was one of the tasks of the KAS Media Program South East Europe, said Spahr. "We are responsible for supporting the development of professional and value-oriented political communication." This was particularly necessary in countries which were undergoing a continuous process of transformation. "Not only are the elites demanding access to information, so are the public. Political power is subject to more critical scrutiny, and social media play a considerable role in this process."

More details in the event report.

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