Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, called on Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian authorities to respect the right of people’s access to government-held information by implementing their countries’ laws in this field, reads the statement on OSCE website.

“We need to change the culture of secrecy and confidentiality for a culture of transparency,” she said speaking at the 7th OSCE South Caucasus Media Conference held in Tbilisi.

“Media freedom and freedom of speech in the digital age mean giving everyone - not just a small number of people who own the dominant modes of mass communication, but everyone - an opportunity to use new technologies to participate in decision-making processes, to interact with each other and with public institutions and to share information about politics, public issues and popular culture,” Mijatovic stated, adding that authorities also should facilite wider access to the Internet.

According to her, minimum state interference in online, as well as in off-line media content, is a guarantee for pluralism, development and trust.

The two-day conference brought together over 80 officials, parliamentarians, journalists, media experts and civil society representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Two media experts from Kazakhstan also attended.

Participants adopted a declaration on access to information and new technologies in the South Caucasus, which is available in English and Russian at www.osce.org/fom.