The fellows were drawn from more than 100 applicants. The competition for the top places was once again extremely close, and the quality of shortlisted entries was very high.
BIRN would like to congratulate the winners, and to thank all who applied this year. BIRN would also like to encourage candidates who were not successful to consider applying again next year.
The journalists were selected through open competition to receive funding and professional support that would help them conduct cross-border research into a topic of regional and EU significance. Participants in the programme are selected based on the relevance, feasibility and originality of their proposals, as well as their professional qualifications, motivation and journalistic approach.
The Selection Committee is comprised of seven prominent media figures from the Balkans and Europe. Each year, committee members read, evaluate and select story proposals for the fellowship.
Alongside six permanent committee members, an expert in the fellowship investigation topic is appointed as an annual member, and this year it was Paul Lewis, award-Winning UK journalist and special projects editor at the British daily newspaper The Guardian.
Here are the fellows for 2013, listed alphabetically by surname:
Dino Jahic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Meri Jordanovska, Macedonia
Hana Marku, Kosovo
Marija Milosevic, Serbia
Vlad Odobescu, Romania
Goran Rizaov, Macedonia
Mirko Rudic, Serbia
Erjona Rusi, Albania
Melisa Skender, Croatia
Elena Stancu, Romania