IMI director: The media may help Ukraine move towards the EU

The media can explain the processes of European integration to citizens, monitor the practical implementation of reforms and explain to their readers the importance of Ukraine's accession to the EU, said the Institute of Mass Information director Oksana Romaniuk at the Donbas Media Forum 2024 conference in Kyiv on October 18, IMI correspondent reports.

"The topic of European integration is not boring, but mandatory for us. We have no other option but to join the EU. We should already be seeing ourselves as part of the EU, as part of the European integration process. These processes are already underway in Ukraine, reforms have already been approved. Even the media law is part of the European integration process," Oksana Romaniuk added. "Let's help Ukraine move towards the EU, because this will be impossible without the media. The media is one of the basic elements of the movement towards the EU."

IMI director Oksana Romaniuk (second to the right) at the Donbas Media Fourm 2024 on October 18. Photo by Lesya Lutsiuk

The IMI director also called on the EU and other partners to resume training programs for Ukrainian journalists and support the media outlets that will monitor Ukraine's European integration processes.

"Before the full-scale war, we saw many support and training programs for the media to promote the European integration process. The full-scale invasion shifted the focus, with everyone concentrating on the war, on survival. I think that it is also important for the EU and our other partners to remember this and restart such programs, which would once again support reporting on Ukraine's accession to the EU," Oksana Romaniuk added.

She also stressed that regional media have a large credit of trust with the readers, so they can help the people better understand what EU accession means for them.

Earlier, IMI media expert Iryna Zemlyana said that the Ukrainian authorities ceasing pressure on the media will positively impact Ukraine's EU accession talks.