DUSHANBE, May 13, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- On World Press Freedom Day, May 3, the European Commission officially launched the Lorenzo Natali Prize for 2009.  The prize is awarded in partnership with Reporters Without Borders and the World Association of Newspapers to journalists who have demonstrated a commitment to human rights, democracy and development.

According to press release issued by the European Commission on May 12, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, said: "Democracy cannot exist without freedom of information. Lack of information makes for an unhealthy society. The ideals of development, human rights and democracy cannot be achieved without free and independent media to raise questions and stimulate debate. The European Commission''s aim in organizing the Lorenzo Natali Prize is to support committed journalists who contribute to the cause of development, democracy and human rights through the quality of their work."

The Natali Prize is an international press award dating back to 1992. In 2008 over 1500 journalists from 151 countries took part. It is open to journalists working in TV, radio, the press and online.

Interested journalists have until 30 June 2009 to apply ( www.nataliprize2009.eu ). The winners will receive their prizes at a special award ceremony in Stockholm in October, in the presence of the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid.

Prizes worth a total of €60 000 will be awarded to the winners in the different sections: Africa, Europe, Maghreb/Middle East, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean.

The Lorenzo Natali Prize is an integral part of the Commission''s development policy, reflecting its belief that defending freedom of expression, democracy, human rights and development is a way of promoting good governance, peace and progress and improving living conditions in the poorest countries.

For the organization of the Lorenzo Natali Prize, the European Commission is once again working with two of the most prestigious world press associations: Reporters Without Borders, winner of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2005 and the World Association of Newspapers, which represents over 18 000 publications in all five continents.

The new EU Strategy for Central Asia aims to strengthen ties between the European Union and its Central Asian partners. It has doubled European Commission assistance to the region to €750 million for 2007-2013. Tajikistan gets the main share of bilateral assistance (€66 million for 2007-2010) in support to sector programs, technical assistance and grants. It focuses on social protection, health and private sector development, underpinned by public finance management. Projects aimed at enhancing living standards continue. Tajikistan also receives regional and thematic assistance in areas like border management and drug control (BOMCA/CADAP), education (TEMPUS, Erasmus Mundus), water / environment, human rights and democracy (EID HR), non-State actors (NSA) and SME development (CA-Invest). The total value of EC assistance disbursed to Tajikistan since 1992 is over €500 million.