December, 2009: SCHENGEN STORY – produced by Dusan Gajic, South East Europe TV Exchanges
Story also broadcasted by:
A1, Evrozum, Macedonia
TV Mreza, Serbia
TV Vijesti, Montenegro
HRT, Paralele, Croatia
RTS, Dnevnik, Serbia
The value of free access to the Schengen zone is obvious to anyone that has had the experience of waiting in line for visas in front of Schengen country Embassies and Consular offices. However, what is less known is when, by whom and how this idea of ‘no borders’ was initiated. The Schengen story was produced to answer exactly these questions.
The Agreement was signed in 1985, in the village of Schengen located in Luxemburg, across the river from Germany, and about 200 meters upstream from French territory. It was initiated by Germany and France, while the Benelux countries simply joined the club, all 3 calculating that this would be a deal that would last for a few years only - to temporarily ease communication. Initially signed by only 5 Ministers, the zone now includes a total of 28, and has in the very least outlived its predicted lifespan.
December, 2009: VISA ROAD MOVIE – produced by Borjan Jovanovski, Evrozum, A1 Television
Story also broadcasted by:
TV Mreza, Serbia
TV Vijesti, Montenegro
HRT, Paralele, Croatia
Although finances are a significant factor in ones decision to ‘travel or not to travel’, in this particular case throughout Europe, for many living in the Western Balkans there is another, perhaps even more important barrier - visas. The youth particularly suffers, as each college student or young adult is asked to produce a stack of documents with each visa application, proving he/she will indeed come back to the country of origin and is not a threat for the working force of any European country.
Thus, when the Schengen borders for Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia finally opened, some jumped at the chance to with less procedures and greater ease explore Europe outside of the Western Balkans.
The Visa Road Movie follows Anton – history student from Skopje, Jasna from Podgorica and Iva from Belgrade both studying at the Serbian language Literature Department as they cross the borders of the European Union for the first time, without visas, on their way to Vienna, Austria. Once in Vienna, they meet with locals their own age, learn about the Austrian education system and of course experience the city atmosphere, food and drinks.
February, 2010: STEFAN FULE’S FIRST DAY AT WORK – produced by Dusan Gajic, South East Europe TV Exchanges
Story also broadcasted by:
HRT Euromagazin, Croatia
A1 Evrozum, Macedonia
TV Vijesti, Montenegro
RTS, Dnevnik, Serbia
TV Mreza, Serbia
TV Klan, Albania
A day after the new
European Commission was selected at the
European Parliament in Strasbourg Stefan Fule arrived at his office in Brussels to begin his mandate as European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy.
Our journalist follows his first day at work, filled with cabinet meetings, setting of agendas as well as dealings with numerous interview requests for the new Commissioner. In the afternoon Fule meets with the Serbian delegation headed by government vice-president
Bozidar Djelic. Fule speaks of his new tasks, goals as well as the upcoming prospects of EU integration of the Western Balkans.
The story also covers interviews with 3 EP members –
Hannes Swoboda,
Doris Pack and
Zoral Taler.
