While the corridors of Berlaymont and Charlemagne in Brussels shape policies that guide the future of the continent under the slogan “Local is the new central“, a delegation of Croatian journalists paid a two-day working visit to the European institutions in Brussels.
Organized by European Commission Representations in Croatia and with the support of our Europe Direct Rijeka, three well-known faces of the Rijeka media scene were selected for this visit, at the very heart of the European administration.
As top journalists who have been precisely and actively monitoring the activities of EU institutions for years, Vladimir Mrvoš (New sheet), Jana Bubnič Arčanin (Radio Korzo) and Marija Mažar (Stilueta) actively participated in a number of EU topics. While Mrvoš discussed topics of enlargement and digital politics analytically, Jasna Bubnič Arčanin captured the rhythm of European everyday life for the radio ether, and Marija Mažar recorded the impact of EU policies on lifestyle and local identity through the prism of contemporary communications.
The program began with an introductory speech. Andrea Čović Vidović, Deputy Head of the European Commission Representation in Croatia and Head of the Media Team. Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, spoke about the topics of EU enlargement. Journalists were also present. Midday briefing, daily media clash between Commission spokespersons and world correspondents. Rijekaanin Mateo Matijević, from the Cabinet of Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, spoke about these important topics. Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, he outlined the vision of aquaculture, a topic of vital importance to our coast.
In the EU Parliament, journalists met with Croatian MPs: Nikolina Brnjac, which focused on tourism and transport, Tonino Picula, with which foreign policy and the ever-present issue of the enlargement of the Union have been scrutinised, and Davor Ivo Stern, who spoke about the situation in the Western Balkans and South America, topics for which he is in charge in the EU Parliament.
‘Two days in Brussels were an extremely valuable experience for me and an opportunity to see the topics that are currently in the focus of the European Union. I would like to single out a lecture by MEP Nikolina Brnjac on affordable housing, Tonino Picula on migration and the current geopolitical situation, and Davor Ivo Stier. Particularly valuable was the opportunity to discuss and better understand the processes behind European decisions. I would like to thank everyone for their quality and content lectures, as well as Europe Direct Rijeka, which enabled me to make this journalistic journey.“ — Jana Bubnič Arčanin, Radio Korzo
The European Economic and Social Committee's programme is also presented as an EU advisory body that issues opinions addressed to other EU institutions. The SGSC is an advisory body that provides representatives of European social and professional interest groups and others with a formal platform through which they can express their views on EU matters. Its opinions are addressed to the Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament, giving it a key role in the Union's decision-making process. The continuation of the programme was reserved for discussions on social inclusion with Katarina Ivanković-Knežević and on a digitally resilient transport system with Maja Bakran Marcich.
This journalistic-study visit once again confirmed that while decisions are taken in Brussels, their interpretation and application at local level are crucial for understanding the European project.
“It is now much clearer to me how the European Union works. Never, as today, have I understood the geopolitical challenges and trends, unfortunately the turmoil we are witnessing. Being at the source of information, at the place where decisions and changes come from, and even very briefly, is really interesting and useful to me. Thanks again to Europe Direct Rijeka and the European Commission in Croatia for being on this list with colleagues from all over Croatia.” – Mary the Magi, Stilueta
“Participating in a study visit to the European Commission and other key EU institutions in Brussels was an invaluable professional and academic experience for me. As a journalist, but also a doctoral student in the field of international and European law, this stay provided me with a unique insight into the complex mechanisms of current EU policy and directly prepared me for understanding the new legislative guidelines that will shape our future. I would particularly like to highlight the programme designed by Andrea Čović Vidović, Deputy Head of the European Commission Representation in Croatia and Head of the Media Team. The programme was set at an extremely high level, allowing us to have open, meaningful and, most importantly, off the record conversations with a number of influential actors from the very heart of European politics. Such a level of direct communication with decision-makers is a rare opportunity that enables an in-depth understanding of the behind-the-scenes process. Such study visits are crucial for people dealing with European topics professionally, either through the media or through professional-scientific work. By gaining a broader picture of the situation in the Union, we, as experts, become equal interlocutors in discussions on topics that directly define European standards and policy. Only through this direct exchange of knowledge and experience can we credibly and convincingly follow and interpret the direction in which the European Union is developing.” – Vladimir Mrvoš, New List
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