speakers at the conference - Photo:General Secretariat of Information and Communication
The Ambassador of Norway Harriet E. Berg, OSCE Representative for Media Freedom Jan Braathu and Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister of Greece Pavlos Marinakis at the national kick-off event in Athens. General Secretariat of Information and Communication

Democracy Needs Trusted Information

Athens launches a five-year EEA and Norway Grants-backed partnership with the OECD to strengthen democratic resilience, media freedom and trusted information ecosystems.

On 17 September 2026, Athens hosted the national kick-off of a new five-year effort to strengthen media freedom and information integrity, bringing together Greek authorities, international organisations, journalists, academics and civil society around one of the defining democratic challenges of our time: how to ensure that trustworthy information, freedom of expression and informed public debate can thrive in an increasingly complex information environment.

Greece is one of six countries participating in the OECD's cross-country regional project to implement the OECD Recommendation on Information Integrity, the world's first international standard in this field. Supported by the EEA and Norway Grants, the initiative will help Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania strengthen democratic resilience, tackle information manipulation and reinforce institutional capacity while safeguarding fundamental rights and freedom of expression. 

The initiative is built around three core pillars: pluralism and transparency of information sources, societal resilience, and strong, accountable institutions. These pillars recognise that information integrity is not only a media issue but a prerequisite for resilient democracies and engaged citizens. 

speakers at the national conference

Media freedom is a foundation for democracy

Opening the event, Harriet Elisabeth Berg, Ambassador of Norway to Greece, highlighted the essential link between media freedom and democracy.
 
“Why do media freedom and information integrity matter? Because they are the foundations of democratic societies. They are a prerequisite for the meaningful participation of citizens in public life. Most importantly, they matter because they are not a given".
 

The event also featured keynote remarks from Jan Braathu, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, who placed the discussion firmly within the broader context of democratic governance and human rights. “Media freedom is not a by-product of democracy; it is one of its foundations", OSCE Representative said. 

Braathu stressed that efforts to address disinformation and information manipulation must remain grounded in freedom of expression, access to information and international human rights commitments. The OSCE has consistently advocated for approaches that strengthen the integrity of information spaces while protecting fundamental freedoms and independent journalism.
 
The initiative reflects a shared understanding that resilient democracies require more than access to information. They require trusted institutions, informed communities and media environments that are transparent, pluralistic and independent. Through cooperation between Greece, Norway, the OECD and other international partners, the programme aims to help build those foundations over the next five years.