16. 10. 2008

2008 SEEMO AWARD FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE

Vienna, October 16, 2008 (SEEMO) - The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is pleased to announce the winner of the 2008 Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe.

After careful deliberation, the SEEMO Jury has chosen Brankica Stankovic, born in October 1975 in Belgrade, Serbia. Stankovic has been working as an editor for TV B92 in Belgrade since 1997.

The SEEMO Jury based its decision on the integrity and personal courage demonstrated by Stankovic in carrying out her work. Her outstanding efforts in journalism, have contributed toward a better understanding and removing barriers between nations in South Eastern Europe.

In the course of her work, Brankica Stankovic introduced new and improved standards of professionalism to Serbian journalism and has addressed in her TV show, The Insider (Insajder), important issues that have been either concealed or sidelined by Serbian authorities. The Insider has attracted much attention and, as a consequence, the authorities have often resorted to launching investigations, pressing charges and issuing warrants. Even political leaders have felt it necessary to comment on allegations made in her show.

Brankica Stankovic received the Dusan Bogavac Award for ethics and courage in journalism, presented by the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia, in 2005 and the Jug Grizelj Award for developing friendship among peoples and removing barriers between nations, presented by the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia/Jug Grizelj Fund, in 2006.

The 2,000 EUR media award is sponsored by Dr. Erhard Busek, former Vice-Chancellor of Austria, Coordinator of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), Chairman of the Institute for the Danube
Region and Central Europe (IDM),   and President of the European Forum
Alpbach, and is awarded every year to a journalist, editor, media executive or journalism trainer in South East Europe, who, through the media, has promoted better understanding among peoples in the region, worked towards solving minority-related problems, and fought against ethnic discrimination, racism, and xenophobia, among others.

In 2002, the jury honoured the Croatian journalist, Denis Latin, with the award. In 2003, it was presented to Kemal Kurspahic, former editor-in-chief of the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje. Brankica Petkovic, Head of the Center for Media Policy at the Peace Institute in Ljubljana, Slovenia, was the recipient of the 2005 award. Danko Plevnik, international relations columnist for the Croatian daily Slobodna Dalmacija in Split, was the winner of the 2006 award, and Milena Dimitrova, commentator for the Bulgarian daily newspaper Trud in Sofia, was last year's winner.

The Sixth Dr. Erhard Busek SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe will be presented in Vienna on 16 November 2008 by Dr. Erhard Busek, and by SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic.