On 22 June 2021, the European Parliament officially launched the website and a call for entry submissions for the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism. Extracts of the press conference and statements by Heidi HAUTALA, Vice-President of the European Parliament (Greens/EFA,FI), Othmar KARAS, Vice-President of the European Parliament (EPP/AT), David CASA, Member of the European Parliament (EPP, MT).

Brussels

KARAS, Othmar (EPP, AT)

ceremony

freedom of press and media (T)

CASA, David (EPP, MT)

HAUTALA, Heidi (Greens/EFA, FI)

Daphne Caruana Galizia prize for journalism (T)

Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism: extracts from the press conference on the launch of a website and call for submissions

General view of the press conference, room (6 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), David CASA (EPP, MT), Daphne was a formidable woman. She was also a wife, a daughter, a brilliant mother, but she was also a friend. And thanks to the journalists, we continued to investigate her story. And now we know much more to what she left when she was brutally assassinated. So thank you for taking up her story, because we made sure that Daphne was still alive, was still with us through her stories and this is thanks to journalists.

SOUNDBITE (English), Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI), We have seen so many journalists fighting for good causes like rule of law, democracy, fighting against corruption at the risk of their lives. And my first experience of this was Anna Politkovskaya, who was my personal friend and whom I invited to the European Parliament. And as you know, after her death, the Parliament's press room was named after her. So it's called the Anna Politkovskaya room. So there are these brave journalists and we, of course, want to protect them because we believe that they do important work to protect our democracies and rule of law. But they should also not have the feeling that they are alone, that they need support. And we as Parliament are very dedicated to press freedom and the rule of law, fundamental rights.

SOUNDBITE (English), Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI), The 14th of October will be an exciting day because then the jury will announce its decision on the award. And two days later, on the 16th of October in the European Parliament, there will be a ceremony to celebrate the award and the winner.

SOUNDBITE (English), Othmar KARAS (EPP, AT), To have an independent prize, a prize where everybody can ask to be part of this prize. The nomination and the decision are not in the hands of politicians. The prize and the decision are in the hands of independent journalists of an agency, and so it is a good combination of what we are.

SOUNDBITE (English), David CASA (EPP, MT), This is a strong message also to those countries who are trying to work to hit back journalism by attacking the freedom of media, freedom of expression. This is also a strong message to these states that the European Parliament will continue fighting for freedom of expression, for media freedom in all countries, even if they are European countries. This is our work as European parliamentarians and this is what we intend to do even with this prize called the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism.

SOUNDBITE (English), David CASA (EPP, MT), This prize is organised by the media, but with the support of the European Parliament. So we have no involvement at all who the winners are going to be, or how the jury is going to be formed of. So we just want to send a clear message to journalists that we are ready to help you. We are with you. Continue doing your job. And as politicians, yes we support every journalist in Europe and outside Europe, I have to say, all over the world,