EU Investigative Journalism Award 2024: Introducing the national jury

Celebrating excellence in investigative journalism across Western Balkans and Türkiye

After extensive review and thoughtful deliberation, the evaluation process across the Western Balkans and Türkiye has been completed.

We are pleased to introduce the National Evaluation Jury, a group of esteemed journalism and investigative reporting professionals who chose the best out of record 283 applications. The Jury has meticulously analysed each submission based on rigorous criteria, including relevance, research depth, presentation clarity, adherence to ethical standards, originality, and the potential for impact.

ALBANIA

1. Ilda Londo has been a research coordinator at the Albanian Media Institute since 2001. She has been dealing with various research projects where AMI has been involved, such as the study of trends that affect media freedom and independence, research on media ownership and concentration, monitoring the performance of regulatory authorities and independent institutions on media development, ethnic minorities coverage, media landscape surveys, broadcasting development trends, self-regulation, and ethical issues, etc. 
2. Albana Kasapi is a London-based Albanian journalist currently serving as a senior journalist and output editor for Weekend, a global news programme on BBC World Service. With nearly a decade of experience at BBC Albanian Service, she has reported from major cities including Jerusalem, Kyiv, Moscow, and across the Balkans. Albana began her journalism career in post-communist Albania, working for Koha Jone and The Albanian Daily News. She also covered significant events such as the Kosovo refugee crisis and the fall of Milosevic while reporting for the German News Agency (dpa).
3. Elira Çanga is a journalist, media development expert, and researcher from Albania with a career spanning since 1999. She began at Gazeta Shqiptare and created “Diplomaticus” for News 24 TV. Specialising in radio journalism, she worked as a local producer for the BBC. Her media development work includes roles with OSCE, British Council, and USAID, focusing on modernising public service media, enhancing journalism education, and launching Albania’s first fact-checking service. She has also managed projects for the European Fact-Checking Network, with a research focus on fact-checking, misinformation, and disinformation.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

1. Nidžara Ahmetašević is a journalist, editor, and researcher from Sarajevo with over 20 years of experience. Her work has appeared in media outlets across the Balkans and internationally, including The New Yorker, Al Jazeera English, The Guardian, and others. She has spoken at TEDx Krakow and the Personal Democracy Forum in Gdansk. Nidžara holds a PhD from the University of Graz, with a focus on democratisation, media in post-conflict societies, hate speech, and human rights. She has received numerous fellowships and has served as regional editor for Kosovo 2.0 since 2016.
2. Ozren Kebo had worked as a journalist and was a member of numerous newsrooms in Mostar and Sarajevo since 1983. He was the deputy chief and responsible editor of Dani Magazine and editor-in-chief  of Start Magazine, Gracija Magazine, and Analiziraj.ba. Rewarded as a Journalist of the Year in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 1999. So far, he has published books: Sarajevo: A Beginner’s Guide, How Beautiful My Vectra Is, Life And Other Surprises, In The Dragon’s Nest.
3. Dragana Dardić is the Executive Director of the non-governmental organisation Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly in Banja Luka. With a decade of experience in journalism, she has worked for Radio Jugoslavija, Dnevni Telegraf, Radio Free Europe, and was a correspondent for Reuters and BBC Radio. She served as the Executive Director of the organisation from 2011 to 2021 and has since taken on the role of Programme Director. Her areas of expertise include gender equality, NGO management, capacity building, project planning, and media relations.

KOSOVO

1. Darko Dimitrijević has been the editor-in-chief of Radio Goraždevac since 2005. He is one of the founders of the Kosovo Media Association (KOSMA), where he was chairman of the board from 2008 to 2014. He reports for the Kosovo media and has also published articles in Politika. He is the winner of the UNS “Dimitrije Davidović” award for editing and the Večernje novosti award for journalistic courage “Milan Pantić”.
2. Imer Mushkolaj is a seasoned journalist, columnist, and opinionist with extensive experience across various media outlets in Kosovo. He has served as Executive Director of the Kosovo Journalists Association (KJA) and currently leads the Press Council of Kosovo. Imer is known for his work in media ethics, communication, and education, having conducted numerous trainings and workshops. He is also a dedicated civil society activist, advocating for improved and responsible journalism practices.
3. Amra Zejneli Loxha is the Director of RFE/RL’s Kosovo Service.She has been a journalist since 2001, starting her career in Mitrovica, Kosovo, and later studying journalism in the U.S. She returned to Kosovo in 2009, working for the public broadcaster and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). By 2020, she led the Prishtina Bureau and in 2024 became the Kosovo Service Director. Under her leadership, the Kosovo Service of RFE/RL remains one of the most credible media outlets, focusing on under-reported issues and providing a platform for marginalised voices in a multiethnic society.

NORTH MACEDONIA

1. Konstantin Testorides is a journalist based in Skopje with more than 40 years of experience. He started his career as a correspondent for Tanjug News Agency and continued to work for various news outlets as a journalist and editor in TV stations and news agencies. Since 1992, he has been a correspondent for the international press agency Associated Press. 
2. Lajla Veselica is a journalist and editor with over 25 years of experience based in Zagreb, Croatia. She started her career as part of the New York Times office for the Balkans and has been the correspondent from Croatia for the Agency France Press since 1999.
3. Valentin Nesovski has 25 years of profound experience in strategic communications, public relations, media, journalism, and capacity building. He worked as a journalist and editor for various Macedonian and foreign media outlets and is now a communication and media expert and PR trainer.

MONTENEGRO

1. Branko Čečen has been a journalist for over three decades. He managed the Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia (CINS), the winner of the European Press Prize (2017), Anthony Lewis Prize (2017), and many other awards, before becoming a consultant. His career spanned from a reporter and editor in Serbian print media to a media trainer, university lecturer, and consultant. In 2013/14, he was elected a Board of Directors of Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) member. Advocating for freedom of media and expression, Mr. Čečen has addressed the Serbian parliament and lobbied for support for Serbian journalists all over the EU and the US. 
2. Olivera Nikolić is an experienced journalist with over 25 years of work as a correspondent for foreign media from Montenegro. She has worked for BBC, Deutsche Welle, Agence France-Presse, Radio Free Europe, and Beta News Agency. For the past seven years, she has been leading the Montenegro Media Institute, a professional media organisation dedicated to improving journalistic ethics, media freedom, and media literacy. Her work has recently focused on developing media policies and literacy. 
3. Mileva Mališić has been a journalist for 42 years, describing herself as a journalist by vocation and an activist by passion. She spent 29 years at the Public Informative Company “Polimlje” in Prijepolje, eventually serving as editor-in-chief and director. In 2000, she co-founded the Women’s Forum Prijepolje to promote gender equality. In 2008, she launched TV Forum—the first female-founded TV station in Serbia and the Balkans—and later created the Foruminfo.rs portal in 2016. Through the Women’s Forum, she has led over 100 projects, seminars, and workshops focused on women’s rights and media professionalism. Mileva has received numerous awards, including “The Flower of Success” from the Association of Business Women in Serbia and the OSCE’s “2018 Person of the Year” award.

 SERBIA

1. Ljubica Gojgić has been a journalist and editor since 1992, working with outlets such as Radio Index, NIN, Demokratija, and RTV B92. She is currently the editor and host of *Pravi ugao* on RTV Vojvodina. Ljubica has trained in Paris and Pittsburgh and has been a guest lecturer at the UNS School of Journalism since 2014 and a professor at the Faculty of Media and Communications in Belgrade since 2016. She has received numerous awards, including Journalist of the Year, the *Danas* Best Journalist award, and the “Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honor” from the President of France.
2. Perica Gunjić is the editor-in-chief of a Serbian portal, Cenzolovka, at Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation and a trainer at the Foundation’s school for investigative journalism.  He began his career in investigative journalism at the Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia (CINS), working as a site editor and occasional researcher from 2012. His journalism journey started in 1990 at Borba. In 1992, he co-founded the daily bulletin Dosta!, covering student protests against the regime. He joined the editorial team of the weekly Telegraf before taking on the role of editor for the youth magazine CooL. Later, he transitioned to Glas javnosti and contributed as a columnist and international correspondent for Blic and Blic News, reporting from the U.S. and Canada.
3. Tamara Filipović Stevanović is the new general secretary of the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia, appointed by the executive board for the next four years.Until now, she worked as a project manager at NUNS.  Since August 2010, she has been working at NUNS as a project manager, and she participated, among other things, in the development and implementation of the advocacy strategy of NUNS, in the development and implementation of the regional Safe Journalist platform, and the development of the Media Strategy of Serbia.She is a member of several media working groups and commissions.

TÜRKİYE

1. Faruk Bildirici began his journalism career in the 1980s during Türkiye’s 12 September military coup. He worked for Cumhuriyet newspaper for 12 years, covering education, judiciary, and politics, later becoming chief editor. From 1992, he held editorial roles at Hürriyet, where he also wrote for Tempo magazine and produced the media criticism program “Çuvaldız” on TV 8. For nine years, he served as Hürriyet’s Reader Representative, writing the “Puzzle Portraits” column. After leaving Hürriyet in 2019, he became a member of RTÜK and began writing media criticism for outlets like ANKA, BirGün, and T24. He has published 11 books, including his latest works on media ethics, Günahlarımızda yıkandık (We were washed in our sins) and Medyanın ombudsmanı Saray’ın medyası (The ombudsman of the media, the media of the Palace).
2. Çiğdem Toker began her journalism career in the mid-80s, covering judiciary, arts, and culture early on. She has worked as a reporter, correspondent, and writer for various outlets including ANKA, Hürriyet, Cumhuriyet, and Sözcü. For nearly 20 years, she focused on parliamentary reporting, often highlighting economic issues such as public resource use, discretionary funds, and corruption. Her investigative work on public tenders and infrastructure projects sparked nationwide discussion. Toker has faced numerous lawsuits and criminal complaints for her reporting, including after her critical statement during the 2023 elections. Despite legal challenges, she has won multiple journalism awards and authored two books: Kamu İhalelerinde Olağan İşler  (Ordinary Affairs in Public Procurement) and Milletin Cebinden (From the Nation’s Pocket). She currently writes for T24 and is a commentator on Now TV.
3. Tülay Ünal Öçten began her career at TRT- Turkish Radio & Television Corporation, Foreign News Desk and TRT-2 tv channel. She worked for Star TV between 1990 and 2004, as a political correspondent, speaker, producer and news manager. As of 2019, she still serves as the Ankara Bureau Chief of Now TV (formerly Fox TV.)

The national award ceremonies for 2024 will take place in September and October in 7 cities across the WB region and Türkiye (Prishtina, Podgorica, Skopje, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Tirana, and Ankara) All national winners are competing for an award fund of 10,000 euros, with 5,000 euros allocated for the top story, 3,000 euros for second place, and 2,000 euros for third place. In the event of a tie, the prize for that rank will be shared equally between the tied applicants.

The EU Award for Investigative Journalism 2024 is part of the broader project, “Strengthening Quality Journalism in Western Balkans and Türkiye II.” The activities under this project aim to recognise and promote exceptional achievements in investigative journalism while simultaneously enhancing awareness and capacities regarding the importance of quality journalism within the region.

Project is funded by the European Union, and it is implemented by a consortium that includes the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN Hub), Central European University (CEU) in Hungary, Association of Journalists (AJ) in Türkiye, Thomson Media (TM) in Germany, University Goce Delcev Shtip (UGD) in North Macedonia, The Independent Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) in North Macedonia, Media Association of South-East Europe (MASE) in Montenegro, and Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Kosovo (BIRN Kosovo).