The Minister of European Affairs, Maida Gorčević, presented awards to journalists who won the competition for the best journalistic stories about the European integration of Montenegro. The competition was organized by the Ministry of European Affairs with the financial support of the European Union through the EU4ME project, during May, on the occasion of Europe Day.
The first place was won by Radio Television Nikšić journalist Maja Lalatović, with a story about a plant for the processing of byproducts of animal origin, the construction of which will be financed by the EU. Second place went to TV Prva journalist Ivana Boljević, who wrote a story about EU support for agricultural producers. The third prize was won by TV Vijesti journalist Alisa Hajdarpašić, who wrote a story about the support of the EU in solving the problem of polluted air in Pljevlje through programs to encourage energy efficiency.
“We are all aware that European integration can sometimes be a technical, too administrative and incomprehensible process, but with competitions like this we want to encourage media workers to tell the other side of the story, perhaps the most important one, which is how our lives change for the better together with the progress of the accession process of Montenegro to the EU. Through your stories, we can see how far this process reaches, from issues of waste selection and processing, to air pollution, but also help to farmers,” said Minister Gorčević during the award presentation.
The winners of the competition thanked for the awards and emphasized that such opportunities motivate them to work even better.
“The opportunity to participate in the project is an honor for someone who has just learned the outlines of a journalist’s call. The teamwork resulted in the first place in the competition, which is a confirmation that I succeeded in my intention to explain what the construction of the plant will mean for society, the environment, and therefore the improvement of the quality of life in Nikšić and Montenegro. The award is certainly a wind at the back, but it also carries with it a dose of responsibility for future work,” said Maja Lalatović.
“As someone who has been following the economy for years, with special attention to agriculture, I am particularly pleased when I see that this branch is developing in accordance with the highest standards. I would encourage all colleagues not to be afraid of competitions and to find stories outside the daily political framework in order to make a contribution to affirming topics of crucial importance for a healthy society to a greater extent”, added Ivana Boljević.
“This award is an incentive for me to continue working on inviting stories and examples of good practice in solving everyday life problems. “The story of energy efficiency as a solution to air pollution is just one of a series of good examples of the use of European Union funds,” concluded Alisa Hajdarpašić.
Journalists from local and national media had the right to participate in the competition. Their task was to publish stories about the impact of European integration on the improvement of human rights, how EU projects affect the lives of citizens, and about examples of the implementation of European standards and policies. The expert jury that chose the best stories consisted of representatives of the Ministry of European Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Media, as well as the multiple award-winning journalist Svetlana Mandić.