EU INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM AWARD WINNERS 2020

The awards are a continuation of the ongoing regional EU Investigative Journalism Award and part of the project “Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey” (2018-2022), funded by the European Union whose second phase started in January 2023.

They celebrate and award stories related to freedom of expression, rule of law, transparency, abuse of power and fundamental rights, corruption and organised crime from all Western Balkan Countries and Türkiye.

The jury for the EU Awards comprises media experts. Some are from the project consortia. Others are drawn from the extensive network projects that the consortia have, such as editors, academics and journalists with merits.

In the call published in 2020 the following stories published in 2019 were awarded:

Albania

• 1^st prize, Klodiana Lala, “Wiretaps Reveal Role of Organised Crime in Vote Buying”
• 2^nd prize, Merxhan Daci, article shedding light on the questionable use of public funds by officials and public institutions
• 3^rd prize, Andi Malasi, investigation into abuses related to newly built apartments that collapsed in the November 26 earthquake in Albania

Bosnia and Hercegovina

• 1^st prize, Semir Mujkic, Series of articles on Russian influence in the country
• 2^nd prize, Amarildo Gutic, “Prsten oko Vitezita”
• 3^rd prize, Azhar Kalamujic, “Judge Fazlagic Disinherited Holocaust Victims”

Kosovo

• 1^st prize, Serbeze Haxhiaj, “Kosovo’s Invisible Children: The Secret Legacy of Wartime Rape.”
• 2^nd prize, Leonida Molliqaj, “Lack of Food Security in Kosovo Threatens Public Health”
• 3^rd prize, Kreshnik Gashi and Afërdita Fejzullahu, “Network of AAK Family Companies Concrete the Highway Prishtina-Gjilan.

Montenegro

• 1^st prize, Dušica Pavlovic and Mirko Boskovic, TV series “Mechanism – Business secret”
• 2^nd prize, Jelena Jovanovic, for her research series about migrants
• 3^rd prize, Milena Bubanja Obradovic and Andrija Turcinovic for their series about underage marriages in Roma community

North Macedonia

• 1^st prize, Investigative Reporting Lab Macedonia, “Urban Assassins”
• 2^nd prize, Snezhana Lupevska Sozen, Miomir Serafinovic and Biljana Nikolovska, “Murders in Kicevo – Convicted for Life and Declared Guilty for Murder he did not Commit.”
• 3^rd prize, Petar Klincarski, “Denationalization Stuck in Corruption and Incompetence of the Institutions”

Serbia

• 1^st prize, Adam Santovac, “Super Graduate”
• 2^nd prize, Jelena Veljkovic and Aleksandar Djordjevic, series of articles about the so-called “Krusik affair”
• 3^rd prize, Nemanja Rujevic, Sanja Kljajic and Ajdin Kamber, “The Industry of Leaving”

Turkey

• 1^st prize, Zehra Özdilek, “Zindaşti Bomb”
• 2^nd prize, Hale Gönültaş, “Yezidi Hadiya’s Fight for Justice”
• 3^rd prize, Burcu Karakaş, “Abortion in Turkey: Practically banned”