Mubarek Asani and Ermin Zatega, reporters from the Center for Investigative Reporting in Sarajevo (CIN) are winners of 2019 journalism award from South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO).
Asani and Zatega won CEI SEEMO award for outstanding merits in investigative journalism for their 2018 story “Hazardous Waste Under the Feet of Tuzla Residents” and a video story The Land of Toxins. The story is about Tuzla chemical companies which had never properly deposited their hazardous waste. These facilities have long been shut down, but waste, still capable of causing illness and death, remains in the old complexes, within reach of iron pickers.
According to the judges, the story has raised awareness about the ecological issues in the region as well as the European level. This year the Award had a special focus on environmental issues. The CIN investigation won the first place in the competition of 23 nominations covering 11 countries.
Arlis Alikaj from Albania has won Young Professional Journalists award. Jagoda Bastalić from Zagreb and Dina Đorđević and Vladimir Kostić from Belgrade were bestowed special mentions for their investigations into important ecological topics.
The award ceremony took place at the international media conference South East Media Forum (SEEMF) in Zagreb on November 4. SEEMF’s thirteenth edition titled “The Future of Public Broadcasting and Print Media in South East Europe” will look into topics of financing, independency and new business models. The conference is taking place in Hotel International in Zagreb over two days with the participation of more than 300 reporters, editors-in-chief, executive directors and owners of media outlets, as well as media experts, spokespersons and scholars from all across the region.
