Skopje, 6 February 2024 (MIA) - The State Election Commission (SEC) and the Media Information Agency (MIA) signed Tuesday a Memorandum of Cooperation that includes media training at MIA's School of Agency Journalism on raising awareness and knowledge over election-related subject matters and better reporting.

SEC President Aleksandar Dashtevski the memo signing is taking place within the observance of Global Elections Day, which shows that media are given much significance.

"We are planning to also hold media trainings that will help raise the awareness on election-related subject matters and better reporting. The memo also aims to stimulate the spirit of joint support and cooperation between SEC and MIA," said Dashtevski.

MIA Director General Dragan Antonovski expressed satisfaction that the long-standing cooperation has been make official.

"In a democratic society, one needs access to information in order to be truly informed. MIA is doing this through news distribution. We are signing this memorandum so this is done professionally, and in the efforts to win the fight against the biggest challenge in our field - fake news and disinformation," said Antonovski.

The memo, he added, will include MIA's School of Agency Journalism, which together with SEC experts is to focus on aspects related to having news in the interest of the public, not anyone else's.

"I am pleased that we are continuing our cooperation with the direct inclusion of people who are experts in the field, for the sake of transparency, accurate and checked reporting, which is MIA's slogan," noted Antronovski.

Back in 2005, election experts from all around the world participated in the Global Election Officials Conference in Hungary and sent an important message about the vital need to strengthen the process of democratic development throughout the world, resulting in the launch of an initiative to hold an annual ‘Global Elections Day’ on the first Thursday of February every year.