EU INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM AWARD WINNERS 2021

The awards are a continuation of the ongoing regional EU Investigative Journalism Award and are 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 and are published in 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 2021, the following stories published in 2020 were awarded:

Albania

• 1^st prize, Luljeta Progni, “Oil Slaves”
• 2^nd prize, Geri Emiri, series of investigative stories into the 2019 earthquake in Albania
• 3^rd prize, Anila Hoxha and Esmeralda Keta, “Albanian Govt Accused of Manipulating Pandemic Aid Data”

Bosnia and Hercegovina

• 1^st prize Semira Degirmendžić, “Agricultural farm got 10.5 million marks for the purchase of respirators”
• 2^nd prize, Mubarek Asani and Nino Bilajac, “Vote selling network exposed by CIN reporters”
• 3^rd prize, Dzana Brkanic, “Murky Bosnian Charity Appeals for African Wells Raise Concerns”

Kosovo

• 1^st prize, Jeta Xharra and Visar Prebreza, “Unclean energy: A Kosovar who owned the sun”
• 2^nd prize, Besa Kalaja and Besnik Boletini, “Victims of private colleges”
• 3^rd prize, Kreshnik Gashi and Adelina Ahmeti, “Crime in Karaceva 1&2”

Montenegro

• 1^st prize, Biljana Matijašević and Alisa Hajdarpašić, “Portonovi Resort is Owned by Daughters of President of Azerbaijan”
• 2^nd prize, Svetlana Djokic, “A Journey of Revenge”
• 3^rd prize, Vladimir Otasevic, Sasa Dragojlo and Marko Vesovic, “Son of Fugitive Ex-President Builds Raspberry Fortune in Serbia”

North Macedonia

• 1^st prize, Jasmina Jakimova, Bojan Sasevski, Daniel Evrosimoski and Emilija Petreska, “Following the Balkan Lynx’s Footsteps – an Investigative Story in Two Sequels”
• 2^nd prize, Investigative Reporting Lab – Macedonia, “Pandemic profiteering – the Other Side of the Covid-19 Story”
• 3^rd prize, Kristina Ozimec and Vlatko Stojanovski, “Only 44 Work, While 1,410 People Receive Salary”

Serbia

• 1^st prize, Dina Djordjevic, Series of articles on air pollution
• 2^nd prize, Sasa and Dragana Peco, “Folic’s New Business with Old Acquaintances”
• 3^rd prize, Natalija Jovanovic, “Serbia Under-Reported COVID-19 Deaths and Infections, Data Shows”

Turkey

• 1^st prize, Murat Ağırel, series of stories about how public funds are misspent in a variety of areas, such as health and education
• 2^nd prize, Hale Gönültaş and Volkan Nakiboğlu, “Iranian Border: Between Bullets and Wolves”
• 3^rd prize, Fevzi Kızılkoyun, “Prestigious Baron: Official Car Issued to Turkish Escobar”