On the horizon of evolving political dynamics, the project “Support To Electoral Reforms,” financed by the Swiss Government and implemented by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), with the support from the Forum for Reasonable Policies (FRP), held a productive alumni gathering titled “Warm up: Elections are Coming” on September 30, 2023. This endeavor, a fragment of the larger initiative ‘Support to Electoral Reforms in North Macedonia,’ is curated to refine the synergy between media and youth political enteties whilst fostering democratic ethos.
The focal point of the event was the promotion of the Compendium of Public Policy Briefs, a collaborative effort encapsulating the rigorous work of the APP participants. This compendium mirrors the intellectual experience and analytic expertise honed over the program, burgeoning as a tool for propagating public policy discourse beyond the APP alumni community.
“Inside a journalist’s mind: How politicians should cope with the media?” dives deep into the enigmatic realm of journalism during a plenary session moderated by Gordan Georgiev from FRP. Esteemed panelists, Olivera Trajkovska from Win Win, Telma TV, Migena Gorenca from MTV 2, Slavica Arsovska from Sitel TV, Nazim Rashidi from Alsat – M TV, and Dusica Mrgja from 24 TV, shed light on the quintessence of a compelling interview and the dynamics of field reporting. They delineate the traits of an ideal interviewee and discuss strategies for handling aggressive interlocutors, all while sifting through what makes a narrative newsworthy versus what relegates it to irrelevance. This session unfurls as a precursor to an interactive Q&A, where the APP alumni will have the opportunity to engage with the panelists, diving deeper into the previously discussed nuances of the media-politician relationship, serving as a warm-up for the intriguing “In the Box” session slated for the afternoon.
The collective sharing of perspectives and experiences transcends a mere discussion, marking a leap towards nurturing a more enlightened political arena in North Macedonia.
