Skopje, 20 July 2022 (MIA) – Media Information Agency – MIA and Italian news agency ANSA directors, Dragan Antonovski and Stefano Piero Carlo De Alessandri respectively, signed Wednesday a cooperation and news exchange agreement, in the attendance of the countries’ ambassadors Vesel Memedi and Andrea Silvestri. The agreement envisages mutual exchange of news articles and services, which, as MIA Director General Dragan Antonovski said, represents an opportunity for professional cooperation. “This is an excellent opportunity for the start of a professional cooperation, especially considering the long-standing experience of our counterparts. I hope the agreement will provide benefits for both sides. MIA is a member of the Association of Balkan News Agencies (ABNA) and we expect to join the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) this September,” said Antonovski. He highlighted the importance of the agencies in countering fake news. “We can contribute in this aspect by distributing checked, accurate and timely news, bearing in mind that we are ‘feeding’ all media, and therefore should offer proper information," said Antonovski. ANSA CEO Carlo De Alessandri said the region to which North Macedonia belongs is very important for Italy. “I am certain this agreement will improve the already good relations between the two countries, because it will allow us to exchange information, good journalist information related to developments in Italy and North Macedonia, which will certainly enhance relations between the two countries. Another aspect of this agreement is related to the abundance of business opportunities. North Macedonia is an interesting market for Italian companies. We will work on this, which is also part of the agreement. Of course, this involves companies and institutions from North Macedonia that want to promote your country,” said De Alessandri. North Macedonia’s Ambassador Memedi said the MIA-ANSA cooperation is of enormous significance, considering the current “attack on the truth”, noting that the more the truth is spread, the more countries will manage to prevent disinformation and fake news. Italian Ambassador Silvestri expressed his satisfaction that the signing of the agreement follows the historic start of North Macedonia’s EU accession negotiations, “a process that has always been strongly supported by Italy.” According to him, both countries need reliable and credible news, such as those provided by ANSA and MIA. ANSA is the most important Italian news agency and one of the most influential global players in the field, while MIA represents the most reliable news source in North Macedonia.