Skopje, 20 January 2022 (MIA) - EU Ambassador David Geer said he was pleased to visit MIA news agency today and listen to their ideas for further improvement of professional standards in journalism. "Professional, factual, objective and timely reporting is in everyone's interest, but also the best way to fight fake news and disinformation," Geer tweeted after the meeting. In MIA, he was welcomed by Director General and Editor in Chief, Dragan Antonovski, who briefed him on MIA’s structure and work over the recent period, what has been achieved so far, as well as future plans and projects of the state agency. The discussion focused on the importance of media freedom, independence of editorial policy, their role in the fight against fake news, media literacy, educating journalists and citizens about the European integration process, as well as the role of media and journalists in the process of developing good neighborly relations. In addition, Antonovski briefed Geer on MIA’s plan to open an office in Sofia, after the Bulgarian news agency BTA opened its office in Skopje earlier this week. This is in line with the cooperation between the two agencies, which has been intensified after MIA and BTA directors signed an agreement for exchange of information and professional cooperation in May in Rome, in the presence of the countries’ Presidents Stevo Pendarovski and Rumen Radev. EU Ambassador Geer said that MIA has excellent reputation in the media space, stressing that the media should be among the first stakeholders in building good neighborly relations, particularly in the context of the dispute between North Macedonia and Bulgaria. He also underlined as extremely important the significance of the media in educating journalists themselves through various types of trainings, as well as the citizens through appropriate content, in terms of the process of accession to the European Union. EU Ambassador Geer was also informed that MIA will take part in the European Newsroom project with 15 other EU and Western Balkan news agencies, which aims to enrich debate on European topics. The European Newsroom, which is to be launched soon, will include North Macedonia’s MIA, France’s AFP, Germany’s dpa, Italy’s ANSA, Romania’s Agerpres, Austria’s APA, Albania’s ATA, Belgium’s Belga, Bulgaria’s BTA, Spain’s Europa Press, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s FENA, Croatia’s HINA, Slovenia’s STA, Serbia’s Tanjug and Slovakia’s TASR. ba/nn/