TIRANA, March 14 – The EU Delegation in Albania and the Albanian Media Institute have launched calls for the second edition of EU investigative journalism award celebrating and promoting outstanding achievements of investigative journalists and improving the visibility of quality investigative journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey.
Addressing participants at a launch ceremony last weekend, Jan Rudolph, the Head of Political, Economic and Information section at the EU Delegation in Albania, reiterated the good experience of the inaugural award competition in 2015 stressing the importance of media and freedom of expression as criteria that are constantly monitored by EU.
He emphasized the importance of quality investigative journalism in a democratic society and pointed out that in Albania there is a wide range of topics that investigative journalists can cover.
Back in 2015, journalists Aleksandra Bogdani and Flamur Vezaj were awarded the first prize in the EU Investigative Journalism Award for Albania contest for their series of three articles on recruitment of Albanians fighting as jihadists in Syria.
Aleksander à‡ipa, a jury member and chair of the Union of Albanian Journalists, appreciated the opportunity this award creates for an open and fair competition in the field of investigative journalism. He also considered it a positive development the introduction of the sub-category for young investigative journalists, as it would further promote a new generation of journalists.
Ilda Londo, a representative of the Albanian Media Institute, invited applications for investigative stories published during 2015 focusing on social issues related to abuse of power and fundamental rights, corruption and organized crime in Albania that otherwise would not have been brought to the public’s attention. The applications will be open until April 4, 2016.
The EU Award for Investigative Journalism will be awarded each year in seven countries of the Western Balkans in the period 2015-2017. The award fund in Albania for 2016, for achievements in 2015, is 10,000 Euro. Up to three best entries will be awarded. The individual award prize ranges between 3,000 and 5,000 Euro. A special sub-category for this year’s award will be that of young investigative journalists up to 35 years old. A jury of expert will be established to evaluate the proposals.
The Albanian Media Institute is organizing the Albania award as a member of the regional partnership of civil society organizations which is administering the EU award for investigative journalism.
