The EU Information and Cultural Centre launched its campaign on Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights

The EU Information and Cultural Centre in Pristina launched its November campaign on the topic of Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights. The documentary “Five Broken Cameras”, a Palestine/Israeli coproduction by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi is a documentation of daily lives of the Palestinian people, their struggle for peace and fundamental rights. The documentary was awarded in various film festivals worldwide, including the Best Israeli Documentary at the Jerusalem Film Festival and World Cinema Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

Five Broken Cameras opened the 2012^th edition of Dokufest.Veton Nurkollari, Dokufest Artistic Director lead the discussion with the audience after the screening at EUICC. The discussion focused on the importance of free media, their impact in raising public awareness, and using it as a tool to promote social activism. “Freedom of speech is the most important thing for a country to achieve. Promotion of free media and social activism has always been Dokufest’s first goal, said Nurkollari.

The campaign on Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights continued with a masterclass on Freedom of Expression and Media Law with media lawyer Flutura Kusari at EUICC Pristina. Kusari presented core aspects and illustrated examples on freedom of expression, including media role, access to public documents, whistleblowing and rights and responsibilities of journalists and other related matters. “The freedom of expression is a fundamental human right comprising of rights and obligations and it upholds the rule of law. It enables the individual to get informed about the decisions of public authorities, it holds them accountable and responsible. Without a guaranteed freedom of expression it is difficult to maintain the rule of law and a democratic state,”  said Kusari.

As part of the EUICC campaign on Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights, the EU Information and Cultural Centre in North Mitrovica organized another master class with Milan Radonjić from BIRN and Željko Tvrdišić from Kontakt Plus, focusing on pivotal role of media in upholding the rule of law. Milan Radonjić from BIRN pinpointed the significance of the EU-Western Balkans Media Days conference in Tirana.

EUICC in North Mitrovica also organized a panel discussion “The Rule of Law and Why it Matters” on the current rule of law status in Kosovo with representatives of the UN, EU Office/EUSR, NGO Aktiv and EULEX. The panel speakers presented on the basic principles of rule of law and how it reflects on citizens of the North and their basic human rights.

EU Office/EUSR representative Katarina Grbeša emphasized the importance of the rule of law defining it as one of the EU core values.

The EUICC in Pristina and North Mitrovica will continue with events to mark the Human Rights Day during December and activities on the topic of anticorruption.