SARAJEVO MAYOR VISIT ONASA NEWS AGENCY
SARAJEVO, Sept 16 (ONASA) – General manager of Onasa news agency Elvira Begovic met today in the agency’s seat with Sarajevo mayor Alija Behmen, informing him on the company’s work.
During the visit, mayor Behmen and his media advisor Emir Suljagic toured the agency’s premises and talked with Onasa employees.
“I was impressed with what I saw here today, particularly with the organization in all segments. Onasa presents a professionally organized agency, with young reporters but also with doyens of BiH journalism,” the mayor said.
He stressed he always had good business ties with the agency.
“Cooperating with Onasa, since time when I performed the function of BiH Federation (FBiH) prime minister, an MP in FBiH Parliament, and now as mayor, I convinced myself that Onasa has always correctly quoted my statements broadcast in media.”
Speaking on the importance of independent journalism in overall political and economic situation in BiH, mayor Behmen said that “political parties have penetrated media space”, which, as he said, in not a case in Onasa.
General manager Begovic said that Onasa was founded in Sarajevo 15 years ago, noting the agency is nowadays one of the leading independent news agencies in BiH and the region.
“The agency’s mission is continuos contribution to development of truthful, independent and professional information in a progressive, Europe-oriented, multiethnic and multicultural BiH, aiming to expand its network beyond BiH borders as well. Onasa has acquired a reputation of a reliable source of information on BiH media market and wider, becoming a respected and recognizable name,” the general manager highlighted.
She informed the mayor that Onasa has correspondent office in Banja Luka and Mostar.
She also underlined that Onasa’s news are broadcast to a number of BiH media, institutions, companies, banks, political parties and NGos, while clients of the agency’s English Service are representatives of international organizations, embassies, business offices and companies, marketing and news agencies.
“Onasa also provides the services of monitoring and press clipping. It also produces a specialized service of public bids and tenders published in official gazettes and dailies in BiH and neighbouring countries,” the general manager said.
Since December 22 2006, Onasa is a full-fledged member of the Association of Private News Agencies (APNA) of South-East Europe, seated in Skopje, Macedonia. (the end)