EU Awards For Investigative Journalism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Presented

October 28, 2024
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Five journalists from Bosnia and Herzegovina were handed investigative journalism awards at a ceremony on October 21 in Sarajevo.

The stories about the eMagnetix scam, sexual harassment of female patients at Zenica Hospital, environmental dangers, corruption in the parking system and issuing of fake university degrees were selected as the best investigative stories in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2023.

Nino Bilajac, Selma Učanbarlić, Dejan Rakita, Azhar Kalamujić, Azra Omerović and Zinaida Đelilović received the awards for their stories at Europe House in Sarajevo on October 22.

First prize was shared between journalists Nino Bilajac and Selma Učanbarlić and Arduana Pribinja.

Photo: BIRN

Bilajac and Učanbarlić from Detektor.ba won their award for uncovering the million-dollar eMagnetix scam, revealing how a “dream job” turned into a nightmare.

Pribinja from Al Jazeera Balkans was awarded for her reporting on sexual harassment accusations made by female patients at Zenica Hospital.

Second prize went to Dejan Rakita for his investigations of the environmental dangers linked to the controversial construction at Trgovska Gora.

Third place was shared between CIN and  Žurnal. Azhar Kalamujić from CIN was awarded for investigating corruption in the parking system, and Azra Omerović and Zinaida Đelilović from Žurnal for revealing how a dentist’s degree was awarded at the International University in Goražde, despite there being no enrolled students there.

The jury consisted of Nidžara Ahmetašević, Ozren Kebo and Dragana Dardić.

Photo: BIRN

Ahmetašević is a journalist, editor, and researcher with over 20 years of experience, including at The New Yorker, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera English. Kebo is an award-winning journalist with a career spanning over 40 years, including editor-in-chief of Start, Gracija and Analiziraj.ba, as well as deputy chief editor of Dani.

Photo: BIRN

Dardić is executive director of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka and has a decade of journalistic experience at Radio Jugoslavija, Radio Free Europe, Reuters and BBC Radio.

The EU Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegvoina, Luigi Soreca, congratulated the winners, emphasizing the vital role of investigative journalism in upholding democracy.