[PIO] Participation of the Deputy Minister of Culture in the Council of Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (Culture)

Brussels, 16 May 2023

Deputy Minister of State for Culture Michalis Hatzigiannis participated today in the work of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (Culture) Council of the EU, which took place today in Brussels.

The main topic of the Council was the proposal for a Regulation on Freedom of the Media, on which an exchange of views took place, with a view to reaching an agreement in the near future.

In his intervention, the Deputy Minister expressed Cyprus' support for the Regulation, underlining the importance of protecting freedom of expression and journalists. He also praised the importance of the provisions on digital markets and services, which are beneficial both for the single market and for European citizens. "It is important for us", he concluded, "to ensure that the provisions of the agreement can be effectively implemented in all Member States."

Commenting on Romania's proposal to assess the possibility of creating a Cultural Heritage Fund, Hatzigiannis highlighted, among other things, the particular sensitivity of Cyprus, referring to the national experiences of the destruction of cultural monuments in occupied Cyprus. The Deputy Minister also welcomed the initiative of the Latvian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to organize a conference on the Nicosia Convention on Offences against Cultural Property, expressing confidence that the conference will give new impetus and encourage more states to ratify the Convention, which was adopted during the Cyprus Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

(MP/NG/SX)
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