On the Day of Journalists, Mr Serhiy Chernov, the Chairman of the Kharkiv Regional Council, and Mr Мårten Ehnberg the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, Representative of the Secretary General in charge of the co-ordination of the co-operation programmes in Ukraine rewarded Journalists who shared the best stories of community success in their printed, online, video and radio media.

Sergey Chernov thanked journalists for helping in distribution of the best practices for local self-government development in the region. Together with the Office of the Council of Europe in Ukraine, we intend to promote this initiative. The contest is already being implemented in the Vinnytsia, Donetsk and Khmelnytsky oblasts. It just started in the Chernihiv oblasts. We are confident that other oblasts of Ukraine will also join this initiative, and this will become a national, powerful media project in support of decentralization.

"When reforms are taking place in the country, especially large-scale such as decentralization, it is necessary for the public to understand the content. Journalists here play a very important role. They are multipliers of information for the population. That is why it is necessary for them to be more aware of the essence of this reform, emphasized Mr. Morten Enberg. Such contests are very important and necessary at the regional level.

For more information go to the Ukrainian version of the website.