The Free International University of Moldova (ULIM), with support from the European Union Delegation in Chisinau, inaugurated the Center of Sociological Studies and Researches on Democracy and Human Rights on June 30. The Center aims to provide training seminars on democracy, especially in the field of journalism, and to contribute to the academic formation of students, teachers, experts and managers of media outlets, Info-Prim Neo reports. ”The Center will furnish a wide variety of literature and information. We hope that a number of issues concerning the national mass media will be treated broader now that this Center was opened. Owing to the training seminars organized by foreign experts, we aim to find out the shortcomings at the faculties of journalism. The seminars given by foreign experts will center on subjects that had not been included in the curricula of the faculties of journalism of Moldova,” said Gerhard Ohrband, ULIM prorector for international cooperation. Gerhard Ohrband said that starting with September, by three professors from Finland, Austria, Germany and Italy will give one-week seminars to students studying journalism, teachers, media managers and those interested in the mass media. The seminars will focus on the mass media psychology, ethics and professional deontology, the defamation campaigns promoted by some of the media outlets, the interdependence between the national mass media and justice. The seminars will be in English with synchronous translation into Romanian. The Center has a free library for all those interested in the mass media and justice and EU programs and instruments intended for the countries covered by the European Neighborhood Policy, including Moldova, regarding the EU legislation, business rules, culture, etc. ”The latest data made public by the European Commission in May show that Moldova moved up in the international human rights and democracy rankings. However, there is yet a lot to do to ensure the freedom of the press. This Center can play a decisive role in promoting democracy, human rights and the freedom of the press. The EU has changed its strategy towards the accession states and now lays greater emphasis on democracy and human rights,” said the first secretary of the European Union Delegation to Moldova Wolfgang Behrendt. The opening of the Center of Sociological Studies and Researches on Democracy and Human Rights forms part of the Promotion of Democracy and Human Rights in Moldova through the Media System Project, which is financially supported by the European Union.