PRISTINA (Reuters) – Kosovo plans to offer shelter for up to six months to 20 Ukrainian journalists forced to leave their country following the invasion by Russia, according to a government document seen by Reuters on Tuesday.
The document says priority will be given to female journalists who will be chosen by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF).
The government will initially allocate 150,000 euros to pay for their living costs, wages and offices for a period of up to six months, to enable them to work remotely.
There was no indication when the journalists would arrive in Kosovo, which is neither a NATO nor an EU member but has joined other Western countries in introducing sanctions on Russia.
Last August Kosovo also agreed to temporarily host about 2,000 Afghans seeking visas to enter the United States. Most of them have already left although some are still waiting for their paperwork.
Ukraine does not recognise Kosovo’s independence but it has 40 troops serving as peacekeepers in the country under a NATO mission.
(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
