EU INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM AWARD WINNERS FOR 2019

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 which 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 Award comprises media experts. Some are from the project consortia. Others are drawn from the extensive network projects that the consortium have, such as editors, academics and journalists with merits.

In the call published in 2019 the following stories published in 2018 were awarded:

Albania

• 1^st prize, Esmeralda Keta and Elisa Gjerani, “Premature Baby Deaths Rise in Albania’s Cash-Starved Hospitals”
• 2^nd prize, Endrit Habilaj, “The Destruction of Valbona”
• 3^rd prize, Ola Mitre, “The Hidden Costs of Free Cardio Surgeries in Private Hospitals”

Bosnia and Hercegovina

• 1^st prize, Amarildo Gutić, “The State against David”
• 2^nd prize, Semir Mujkic, “Corruption in Public Procurements”
• 3^rd prize, Renata Radic Dragic and Mubarek Asani, “Veterans against Veterans”

Kosovo

• 1^st prize, Saranda Ramaj, “Warehouse of Pharmaceutical Abuse”
• 2^nd prize, Serbeze Haxhiaj, “Kosovo’s Political Murders: Unpunished, Not Forgotten”
• 3^rd prize, Ardiana Mehmeti, “Exploitation in Telecom”

Montenegro

• 1^st prize, Jovan Nikitović, Extensive investigation into one of the biggest cases of cultural negligence in the country
• 2^nd prize, Maja Boričić, “Medical Waste in Montenegro – A lurking menace”
• 3^rd prize, Dejan Milovac and Lazar Grdinić, “Citizens’ donations, or black-funds”

North Macedonia

• 1^st prize, Snezhana Lupevska Sozen, Miomir Serafinovic and Biljana Nikolovska, “Citizens Identity Theft for Criminal Purposes”
• 2^nd prize, Saska Cvetkovska, “The Secret Players Behind Macedonia`s Fake News Sites”
• 3^rd prize, Kristina Ozimac and Vasko Magleshov, “Scandalous Amounts for MPs’ Travel Expenses”

Serbia

• 1^st prize, Stevan Dojcinovic and Dragana Peco, “How Serbia`s Health Minister Helped a Criminal Avoid Trial”
• 2^nd prize, Vladimir Kostic and Dina Djordjevic, “Small Hydroelectric Power Plants: the State and Companies Connected to Vucic’s Best Man Profit Most”, and, “From Nigerian Scheme to Clandestine EPS Procurement Worth Millions”.
• 3^rd prize, Milos Stanic, “Toxic Taps: Arsenic in Water Stirs Cancer Fears”

Turkey

• 1^st prize, Hazal Ocak, “Emsalsiz İhanet“ (Unprecedented Betrayal)”
• 2^nd prize, Dinçer Gökçe “Türkiye’nin Utanç Listesi” (Turkey’s List of Shame) parts 1 & 2
• 3^rd prize, Fevzi Kızılkoyun “20. Katın Sırrı / Otopsiden Çıkan Gerçek” (Secret of the 20th Floor/Truth Revealed by Autopsy)