There is a long story when we start talking about European issues. It’s true, we are informed about this and that, but what do we really know? The media informs us, but is this information changing our opinion regarding the success or the failure of some important European hot topic?


“My opinion is based on what the media tells us”, states Cladonia Scerri, a 22 year old girl from Malta. It’s the question regarding the influence that the European Union and politicians have on some major channels, news and television shows, which Cladonia thinks is relevant. “There is plenty of funding for TV, radio, and print about EU issues, and there are a lot of programmes on TV going about the EU. European issues were discussed, debated on every TV show, on the news and everywhere.
Half of the political media reported on the integration with a negative point of view and the other half said that this was a good thing. Obviously, the political media, which was saying that it is negative, is the media of the political party which was against the EU and the opposite is true for the other party - which wanted to join in the EU.”

This happened in Malta after 2004, the biggest enlargement to date. Hungary, which also joined EU that year, became an opportunity for Alex to study. Born in the western part of the Romania, Alex Krasznay, 23, thinks that even though he is studying in Budapest, the Hungarian reforms that were made after the EU integration are really not interesting. “I never watched what happened here, but I can tell you about the Romanian reforms.” The reforms that Romania had to make for its 2007 integration were presented by the media as almost impossible.

“Romania had to adapt its national laws to a European level: justice (corruption), environment (environmental tax), health (the privatization of health), finance (the sole wage), education (the Bologna system),” Alex explained. It is interesting to see that the part that Romania had to do for its integration was presented as impossible, but after that happened, the media reported with a more optimistic perspective when it came to the European benefits that Romania would have.
”Even though it seemed quite impossible, Romania received structural funds to improve infrastructure (for highways), agriculture (increasing the efficiency of agriculture through subsidies for the purchase of agricultural equipment), tourism, the environment, and so on.”

This first step of integration is therefore important for the media, so it can change the whole approach when it comes to presenting important European topics? For example, in Macedonia the Euro-skepticism has been increasing, mostly because of the name issue. The media is questioning whether Macedonia should continue the process of a possible integration, with the cost of a “new identity”.
This is also the opinion of Ivancho Gjeorgjiev, a 23 year old Macedonian. “I'm not surprised why the Euro - skepticism increases in Macedonia. Most of our citizens are losing their hopes that our country would become an EU member; therefore, there is a big dilemma if we should continue this process under the pressure of double standards.
There is no Macedonian that would change his name or identity for the price of getting inside the European Union. The negotiations for compromise on the name or identity would fail. We don’t need a new name, we have our own, no one could attach me a new identity, I have one. I don’t want to fight with the Greeks; I just want to say they chose the wrong path for building good neighbour relations for which they would take a historical responsibility.”

As it seems, this looks like the only problem that needs to be solved in order for Macedonia to become a member in the European Union. There are almost no words regarding the reforms, and the concrete steps that they should take to start the negotiations.

Why is the media so easily finding first page space for some topics, and none for others?
For instance, in Bosnia Herzegovina, not so long ago, the media was discussing the fact that there will not be any liberalization of visa regime. “It is very sad when you have to wait for some strangers to make decisions for your own country.” thinks Dajana Sipraga, from Banja Luka, a northern Bosnian town.

“We could say that the social flow between EU and Bosnia is difficult. Simplest example is traveling abroad, and here I am talking just about tourist visas. The whole procedure for getting visa is not just exhausting but embarrassing too. The EU is making us second class citizens; getting a scholarship is the same thing.” adds Dajana.

So, how can you form your opinion without being influenced? “Well, I have my own opinion, based on my knowledge and analysis of the political and economic situation in Ukraine. I don't trust the media, because it's all very politically committed. That's why it's very easy to have inaccurate information,” was the response of Tanya Syrovatka, 23 years old, from Lvov.

It is a problem when the media loses its credibility and people are simply not buying it. When a newspaper declares its support for one party or another it is one thing, but when there are so many “independent” media institutions out there, we could say we have a problem. It is the situation in Ukraine, as Tanya continues “Everybody thinks that he has his "own" opinion (based on the tv-programmes and talk shows) but if you start to ask them, you realize that these people don't know anything. For example, a lot of people are against entering NATO, but if you ask "What is NATO?” the answer may shock you. It would have been much better if the media was giving the real facts and analysis about what the EU really is and how Ukraine can benefit from entering it.”

No matter where do you come from, what your gender is, religion or nationality, people are trying to have an opinion regarding important aspects of their lives. The European Union could have a greater impact in our conscience, and could become more important for us, if the idea of an official institution would be transformed into something slightly more people-friendly. The European media will continue reporting about different topics, but the audience’s response to that should be equally important.