Reporter from the Center for Investigative Reporting in Sarajevo (CIN) Eldina Pleho was awarded third place in an international journalism prize from German non-governmental organizations for a story about wasted international aid meant to help develop small and mid-sized enterprises in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The first annual prize awards excellence in coverage by Eastern European media of the living conditions and social situations in their countries.
The award, presented November 8 in Munich by ‘Hope for Eastern Europe’ (Hoffnung fuer Osteuropa – HfO) and ‘Renovabis’ which are active in Eastern Europe, was for the story ‘International Aid Does Little for Small Businesses’ which was published in February by CIN. The story looked at the plight of small businesses in BiH and how an EU program to assist them instead gave money to a series of businesses that did not exist or which closed soon after receiving the money.
Awards were also given to Hungarian and Polish journalists for stories about human rights violations in Eastern Europe.
During the award ceremony Dr. Norbert Matern, the honorary president of the Munich Press Club, congratulated the journalists on exceptional professionalism and offering readers a wealth of information. He said the work should serve as encouragement for such journalism in the future.
