Media watchdogs blast EU funds for Balkans 'mouthpieces'

Media freedom advocates have criticised the European Commission over funding for a joint newsroom of European press agencies.

The "European Newsroom" received a grant of €1.76m to create shared office space for 16 agencies in Brussels. Led by German agency DPA in tandem with competitors such as Agence France-Press and Italian ANSA, the project also includes media organisations from the Western Balkans such as Tanjug from Serbia and ATA from Albania.

Yet the latter are not indepen...