The first prize of the European Union for investigative journalism and 4.000 euros was awarded to "Vijesti" television journalist Sead Sadiković for the story "Old fireman's trucks" broadcast in April 2014 on TV Vijesti.
Miranda Patrucić and Dejan Milovac won second place and 3.000 euros for the Dossier "Unholy Alliances" published in ND Vijesti and the daily newspaper Dan from April 7 to 11, 2014.
Third place and 3.000 euros were awarded to Ana Bogavac and Milica Bogdanović for the story "Money and Party" broadcast on TV Vijesti in January 2014.
Sead Sadiković thanked the Government of Montenegro that even after the publication of the story, they continue to provide reasons for research.
"It is so easy to be a journalist in Montenegro. You just need to pick up the obvious and take money from the EU", said Sadiković and pointed out that this obviousness is incredible so that it does not even need to be investigated by the mechanisms of Western investigative journalism, "and that incredible obviousness asks to be investigated".
Sadiković assessed that it is a paradox that, according to the EU, Montenegro is an example in the region, and such stories receive awards.
"Trucks of the old fireman" exposes the mechanisms of abuse and illegality in the procurement of expensive fire trucks that have been out of use for years.
The series of four stories of the file "Unholy alliances" exposes the connection between politics, business and organized crime in Montenegro. This story is the result of the cooperation of investigative journalists and researchers of corruption and organized crime from the non-governmental sector in Montenegro.
"Our story is related to the way of acquiring and spending money by political parties and indicates that political parties in Montenegro dispose of money in a non-transparent manner," said Milica Bogdanović, one of the authors of the story "Money and Parties".
The director of TV Vijesti, Marijana Bojanić, believes that two of the three first awards are proof that the attitude of the citizens who declared in public opinion surveys that they most trust TV Vijesti's news program, which is at the same time the most watched in the country, is completely correct.
"The show "Bez granica" is one of the most watched TV formats, and it is clear that programs that present true, timely and accurate information are exactly what our citizens need," Bojanićeva said.
She assessed that special shows like "Money and Party", which are realized in cooperation with partners from the NGO sector, are an indication that topics of public interest are in the focus of editors and journalists and that this is exactly what separates TV Vijesti from the rest.
The EU regional award program for investigative journalism in the Western Balkans and in Turkey was established by the European Commission's Directorate General for Enlargement in accordance with the EU enlargement strategy.
21 stories were submitted to this year's contest in Montenegro.
The annual prize fund is 10.000 euros. The awarding process is managed by a regional partnership of civil society organizations under the leadership of the Peace Institute from Ljubljana.
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