OREANDA-NEWS. March 16, 2012. The seminar entitled “Media Model Law” was held at the Oguzkent Hotel in Ashgabat. The forum was organized by the Turkmen National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan jointly with the EU-funded project on cooperation in media development in Turkmenistan implemented by the BBC World Service Trust and the UK Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The seminar brought together the representatives of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Economy and Development, the Ministry of Finance of Turkmenistan, Magtymguly Turkmen State University, the Institute of State and Law under the President of Turkmenistan, the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the Turkmen State News Agency, the State Committee for TV and Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography of Turkmenistan and other national mass media.

As is known, a key priority in the context of progressive reforms and grandiose changes taken place in the country under the leadership of the President of Turkmenistan is improvement of the law-making work, and monitoring of the national law. In this regard, particular attention is paid to enhancing cooperation with international partners as well as introducing international norms and standards into the national law-making practice.

International experts, including the BBC World Service Trust Consultant Mr. Marek Bekerman, teacher of the Department of Journalistic of M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia) Mrs. Elena Sherstoboeva, Director of Kiev Media Law Institute (Ukraine) Mr. Taras Shevchenko delivered reports and made presentations on the key principles of work of mass media as well as the methods of legal regulation of media in the CIS countries and Europe.

During the seminar the forum participants discussed various aspects of cooperation in the legal sphere. In particular, the members of the working group of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan on drafting the Law of Turkmenistan “On mass media” discussed the possibilities of exchanging experience in modern legal issues related to mass media, including creation of commercial TV channels and print media as well as other issues.

Underlining the huge potential for joint cooperation in improvement of work of the national media, the seminar participants called for continuation of efficient cooperation and defined the trends for long-term joint work.