The EU Award for Investigative Journalism 2025 ceremony, organised by Thomson Media, took place on 10 October at Europe House in Podgorica, celebrating the outstanding achievements of investigative journalists from Montenegro. This prestigious award, supported by the European Union, recognises the best investigative stories published during the previous calendar year across the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
The ceremony began with introductory remarks by Sanja Lazić, a representative from Thomson Media, who shared insights into this year’s application process.
“I am delighted to say that this year we received the highest total number of applications to date across the entire region. Despite the challenges and pressures journalists face, the competition in Montenegro alone received 34 applications – submissions that in no way suggest a crisis in journalism,” said Lazić.
Riccardo Serri, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the EU to Montenegro, congratulated this year’s laureates of the EU Investigative Journalism Awards. He stated that free and professional media are the essential pillars of every democracy and the foundation of Montenegro’s path towards the European Union.
He emphasised that the EU expects all competent institutions to respect media freedom fully, in line with European and international standards.
“We would like to stress once again that political interference in any form, including public attacks, unfounded accusations or undue pressure on journalists and civil society, has no place in a democratic environment. At the same time, we recognise that freedom also comes with responsibility.” The power of journalism lies in credibility, and credibility is linked with professionalism, fairness, and ethical integrity,” stated Serri.
Following the speeches, the ceremony continued with the presentation of the jury members, who had the demanding task of selecting this year’s winners. The jury consisted of Leila Bičakčić, Lamija Alečković, and Marijana Camović Veličković.
The award winners were announced in the following order:
3rd Place:
Dejan Milovac and Lazar Grdinić, MANS – How a Former ANB Operative Acquired Valuable Assets: A Million Worth of Real Estate and Vehicles
Jury’s statement:
“The extensive documentation supporting almost every line of the investigation into the property of a former senior security official proves that Montenegrin journalism can indeed expose and factually investigate well-concealed assets, even when relying on a rather weak Freedom of Information Law. And that deserves recognition.”
2nd Place (shared):
Jovan Nikitović, Pobjeda – A Series of Articles on the Unsuccessful Reconstruction of the Museum in Bijelo Polje
and
Ivan Ivanović, BIRN Montenegro – Big Brother: The Ministry of Interior Procures Israeli Facial Recognition Software
Jury’s statement:
“We congratulate both authors on their work – Jovan for his consistent investigation and reporting on important yet often neglected cultural topics, and Ivan for shedding light on hidden agendas aimed at surveillance of Montenegrin citizens.”
1st Place:
Tatjana Ašanin and Nikola Milosavić Aleksić, TV Vijesti – The Target – The State, the Cousin
Jury’s statement:
“The journalists’ success in obtaining and synthesising numerous on-camera interviews demonstrates exceptional outreach, while the diversity of voices and statements illuminates both the practice and the impact of nepotism.”
The winners received their certificates from Riccardo Serri, Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU to Montenegro, and each had the opportunity to deliver a brief speech.
Journalists from Montenegro also have the opportunity to compete for the regional recognition, awarded for the best investigative stories with regional impact, which will be evaluated by a separate jury. The winners of the regional competition will be announced in the last week of November in Pristina, Kosovo.
About the EU Investigative Journalism Awards
The EU Investigative Journalism Award is organised by Thomson Media, a renowned organisation dedicated to media development and the promotion of press freedom worldwide. The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by a consortium consisting of: Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN Hub), Central European University (CEU) – Hungary, Association of Journalists (AJ) – Türkiye, Thomson Media (TM) – Germany, University Goce Delchev Shtip (UGD) – North Macedonia, Independent Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) – North Macedonia, Media Association of South-East Europe (MASE) – Montenegro, and BIRN Kosovo.