The Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia (CINS) won the most renowned European journalism recognition in the competition of most reputable European media and in the most prestigious category for investigative journalism. CINS was awarded for a series of articles on the treatment of corruption in Serbia and an article on the links between football, politics and crime. Past winners for excellence in investigative journalism were Reuters, El Pais and Revue XXI.

On Thursday evening (20 April), we will find out if we won the 2017 European Press Prize for Investigative Journalism.

Upon being appointed to public office, Branislav Švonja did not mention another job position that he held – a representative of the company Švonja. CINS finds out that he occupied the position of manager in three other companies and did not even submit a disclosure report on his property in due time.

Last year Švonja was appointed Acting Manager of the Provincial Fund for Refugees, while the company he had founded – Nacionalni privredni operater – was making millions by selling information which is free otherwise, which CINS wrote about on several occasions. Švonja was previously convicted for purchase of votes.

Dates: 15 May – 19 May | Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Application deadline: 3 April | Programme: Reporting Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery

Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia is among the candidates in the category of investigative reporting, for a series of articles on corruption and organized crime

In March 2016, Veljko Belivuk was convicted of having inflicted grave physical injuries on a young man in front of BlayWatch floating club. The trial went on for seven years, with changes to witnesses’ testimonies and a charge for illegal possession of arms being dropped due to a lapse of the statute of limitations.

Current state of judiciary is bad, the executive authority wields a strong influence on judges and prosecutors, and the Justice Ministry has fallen short of target in the fight against corruption because, in fact, there has been no comprehensive judicial reform in place, stated the Anti-Corruption Council. Polygraph tests are used as a crucial piece of evidence, PM Vučić comments on pending cases, and laws are passed in a fast-track procedure.