The third EU-Western Balkans Media Days conference, sponsored by the European Commission and the Enlargement Commissariat kicked off in Podgorica, Montenegro, on Thursday.

The former Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn will not attend the conference due to changes in the composition of the new European Commission and his previous commitments but he did send a video message saying that media freedom and the media situation in the Balkans is very important for the enlargement process, but also that the whole process is crucial for the region.

Apart from Hahn, Montenegrin Culture Minister Aleksandar Bogdanovic also spoke at the beginning of the conference and said that no attack on journalists should remain unsolved. Bogdanovic also announced that his country would continue to work on media development, but also on legislation that would follow and support media development.

Christian Danielson, Director-General of the Enlargement Directorate, welcomed all the EU's work through the Commission on the enlargement process, especially in the area of the rule of law.

Today, the conference will continue with panel talks, and on Friday the conference will host a panel discussion between ministers from the region and journalists, for the first time ever.

Hundreds of journalists from the Western Balkans and the Brussels journalists reporting on the region attend this event in Podgorica.