The event brought together media professionals, communication experts, policymakers, and academics under the theme „The enemies of the media and how to tackle them.“
Christoph Plate, Director of the KAS Media Programme South East Europe, emphasized at the opening how serious media in seemingly a small country like Moldova can play an important role in fending off Russian interference.
A special welcome address was delivered by Igor Grosu, President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Chișinău, who also warned about Russia's attempts to slow down European integration through its narratives, which we must be vigilant about.
The second day of the event started with a panel titled„In search of sustainability “ moderated by Ralitsa Stoycheva, Research Associate at our Media programme. During the discussion, Mihail Nesteruiuc, Mass-media and Public Communication Expert at IDIS Viitorul (Moldova), identified several key challenges to achieving sustainability. Among them were the war in Ukraine and the global economic crisis. Another factor he highlighted was the dependence on external financial resources. He also pointed to the lack of an efficient legislative framework and a competitive advertising market as significant challenges.
Our second panelist, Tsvetelina Sokolova from Mediapool.bg (Bulgaria), noted that Southeast Europe is a region where the culture of donations and charitable support is not yet consistent. Her main argument was that journalism is a public good and should therefore receive public funding.
Lutfi Dervishi from the Albanian Center for Quality Journalism (Albania) shared similar problems from Albania’s media landscape. He described it as overcrowded, with declining trust and politicians and influencers who have taken control of communication, bypassing journalism entirely.
The programme continued with panel discussions on topics such as strengthening European values through media, the indispensable role of investigative journalism in defending democracy, particularly in times of war, and the challenges posed by hybrid warfare and propaganda.
All these conversations underscored the complex landscape journalists must navigate today, balancing technological innovation with the fundamental mission of serving the public good through accurate reporting and how to make this process sustainable.