Journalists Kreshnik Gashi, Dafina Halili and Saranda Ramaj were selected from many colleagues as this year’s winners for their stories published in 2022 about corruption, mismanagement, and discrimination.
The jury consisted of Lutfi Dervishi, investigative journalist who founded ACQJ’s Journalism Investigative Lab and worked as editor of 31 Minutes and as a journalist trainer; Arbana Xharra, awarded investigative journalist and expert on religious radicalization; and Agon Maliqi, political analyst and media writer, co-founder of Sbunker, an analytical platform in Prishtina.
The first prize went to Kreshnik Gashi, from Kallxo.com, for his series, Blerja e Kryeprokurorit I dhe II (Purchase of the Chief Prosecutor). This two-year investigation blew the lid off a high-profile corruption scandal involving a businessman and a prosecutor in Kosovo.
Second prize went to Dafina Halili, a journalist from KOSOVO 2.0, for her story, Ghost Schools, Ghetto Schools and Segregated Shifts, which exposed discrimination against Roma and Ashkali children in the Serbian education system in Kosovo.
Saranda Ramaj, from Koha.net, earned third prize for her series, Abuzimet me Fondin per Trajtim Jashte Institucioneve Publike (Abuses of the Outpatient Treatment Fund). These articles delved into corruption and mismanagement within Kosovo’s healthcare sector.
The awards were handed by the EU Ambassador in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog who greeted the participants. Davor Marko from Thomson Media, in his capacity as project’s partners’ representative, introduced the project and the importance of the award for journalism. Agon Maliqi, representing the jury, provided a detailed explanation of the award selection process and announced the recipients of each awarded position.
More information can be found here.
The EU Award for Investigative Journalism 2023 is part of the project “Strengthening Quality Journalism in Western Balkans and Türkiye II”. This aims to recognise and promote outstanding achievements in investigative journalism as well as improve the visibility of quality journalism in the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
The project is funded by the European Union, and it is implemented by a consortium composed of Balkan Investigative Reporting Network – BIRN Hub, Central European University (CEU) – Hungary, the Association of Journalists (AJ) – Türkiye, Thomson Media (TM) – Germany, University Goce Delcev Stip (UGD) – North Macedonia, The Independent Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) – North Macedonia, Media Association of South-East Europe (MASE) – Montenegro, and Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Kosovo (BIRN Kosovo).