Government of the Republic of Macedonia Secretariat for European Affairs Communication strategy on...

Government of the Republic of MacedoniaSecretariat for European Affairs

Communication strategy on the European Integration Process of the

Republic of Macedonia

Present – Future

Valentin NešovskiHead of the Sector for Information and European Affairs Training


The Republic of Macedonia - candidate country for EU membership, as of December 2005

• The first Strategy - March 2003 Public Information and Communication Strategy on the European Integration Process of the Republic of Macedonia

• Next one - December 2006

STRATEGY

PREPARATIONS

IMPLEMENTATION:2007 - 2010


LOGO and MOTTO of the European integration process:


WHY A NEW STRATEGY ? – the goals of the first Strategy fully accomplished

– candidate status implies new tasks and challenges – aligning with Plan D: Democracy, Dialogue and Debate

The acceding, the candidate, and potential candidate countries have to help the EU institutions and the 25 member states to overcome the doubts of the EU public

on enlargement

HOW? – By changing the perceptions for the region and by implementing PLAN R: Reforms, Reforms and Reforms;– Through improvement of the communication with the general public in the EU, especially by presenting the positive changes in Macedonia.


Results of the implementation of the first Macedonian Strategy (June 2003) – overwhelming public support


Latest survey showed – EU membership is most important for 45,6 %

How important is the integration of Macedonia into the EU to you personally?

Number of surveyed persons percent

Most important of all 479 45.6

Important, but not a priority 438 41.7

Not important at all 125 11.9

No answer 8 0.8

Total 1050 100

If there was a referendum for accession of the Republic of Macedonia in the European Union next week, how would you vote?

Number of surveyed persons percent

In favour 916 87.2

Against 47 4.5

I don’t know yet 49 4.7

I wouldn’t vote 36 3.4

No answer 2 0.2

Total 1050 100


However, we are aware that:

- This is not entirely knowledge-based support (in-depth knowledge on EU matters)

- The support is mainly based on wish for long-term stability, progress, and prosperity that EU membership brings


What are we doing to overcome the gap between the lack of EU knowledge and the wish to become EU

citizens?

Latest example:

- Grass-root information campaign combined with media campaign for the general public : March, April and May 2006


• RESULTS:

– 13 cities visited, messages conveyed to 2000 people

– lectures on EU accession, EU funds and regional cooperation, reached local authorities, business community, NGO-s and citizens

– positive evaluation forms and feed-back

– over 50 media reports (local and national outlets)

– advertisements in 72 daily newspapers, 24 weekly magazines, 250 radio clips, and 60 billboards across the country


Overview of activities implemented and determined by the Strategy

• Press conferences - more than 50 in 2005 – *positive example for openness and transparency was the process of

answering the Questioner by the EC

• Seminars, roundtables and lectures – over 20 in 2005

• Conferences – 2 in 2005

• Other media events (statements, interviews) – over 200 • Brochures – 2 on 6 languages ( Macedonian, English, Albanian,

Serbian, Turkish, Roma)


• Monthly Bulletins – (new activity) 6, printed and electronic version disseminated to more than 5.000 addresses and e-mails

• Web-site – www.sep.gov.mk – update on daily bases, more than 100.000 visitors in the first 8 months, about 500 hits per day

• Daily press - clipping on EU related events – disseminated to the public administration and media

• Public surveys – 2 in 2005

• EU training – over 5.000 civil servants in the past 6 years were trained in different EU fields – General EU training, EU Funds, Project Cycle Management


Basic Principles of the Present Strategy

• The process of informing will be based on the provision of accurate and timely information, clearly emphasising the obligations, as well as the benefits of the membership. Openness and transparency remain to be the core principles of operation.

• The basic tone of the Strategy is realistic optimism – the Republic of Macedonia strives to become a member of the European Union and is aware of the complexity of the accession process, the significance of the harmonisation of the national legislation with the EU acquis.

• The Strategy will be based on clear understanding of the public information needs concerning the EU integration process. These will be determined by regularly carried out public opinion polls, monitoring the media and websites of the Secretariat for European Affairs, the EC Delegation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant institutions, as well as involving all interested parties.


The main objective of the current strategy: • providing policy support for membership of the EU to the

Government of the Republic of Macedonia.

General objectives are to:

• Strengthen the general awareness about the significance of the EU, as well as the reasons why the Government pursues EU accession.

• Increase the confidence in the EU institutions and policies by promoting their greater understanding.

• Maintain public support by emphasising the reality and the importance of European integration, accompanied by open and transparent discussions about the challenges, as well as the benefits of EU accession.

• Actively engage and include the defined information target groups. • Impact on the EU Member States in favour of Macedonia’s EU

accession.


NEXT STEP:

New Contemporary Communication Strategy

- initial objectives -

- Aligning with the EU communication policy

- Increasing public awareness on the necessity and the requirements of the EU related reforms

- Establishing improved operational procedures for co-ordination among the spokespersons and information units in the Ministries of the Government of RM, regarding Macedonia’s status as a candidate country.

- Broadening the target audience – in particular the EU public


Thank you for the attention

Valentin NešovskiHead of the Sector for Information

and European Affairs Training

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