01. 11. 2005

“DUSAN BOGAVAC” TO BRANKICA STANKOVIC

BELGRADE, November 1, 2005 – RTV B92 journalist Brankica Stankovic was presented today with the IJAS award “Dusan Bogavac”. For 15 years now, the award is presented to journalists for ethics and courage. This year’s laureate, journalist Brankica Stankovic, is awarded for her outstanding professionalism and great courage. The murder of the Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, pursuit of Mladic and Karadzic and disclosure of mob clans in Serbia are just some of the stories investigated by the B92’s “Insider”, lately regarded as the top investigative program. Member of the jury Zeljko Bodrozic said that Brankica Stankovic proved that the real journalism could still survive the flaw of primitivism broadly present in the local media. “Brankica is an inspiration for all of us working in the media. For the past year, her commitment and investigative work has reinstated the journalism in Serbia, giving back the significance to the shattered profession”. Dusan Bogavac was an uncompromising journalist, famous for his opposing views and tendencies to the ruling power during the eighties. This year, the jury was represented by Branka Bogavac, Nebojsa Popov, Vukasin Obradovic, Filip Mladenovic, Bojan Toncic and Zeljko Bodrozic. Accepting the award “Dusan Bogavac”, journalist Brankica Stankovic said that insisting on responsibility is a way of resistance to all those who try to conceal all important events from the past. “This award is not just mine – it belongs to the entire “Insider” crew. Since this award is given for the journalist’s courage, I believe that the fact that, five years after the democratic changes in Serbia, the journalist must be brave enough to investigate the issues of public interest is very frustrating. It shows that, unfortunately, nothing has changed in this country. This should alarm all journalists and the entire public because everybody knows what the role of journalism is in a democratic society. Journalism in Serbia is so degraded because it is characterized with the fake solidarity and mutual protection of journalists. Today, everyone can call himself a journalist, regardless of the experience, education or role one had or still has in this society. I will remind you that such people – self proclaimed journalists – contributed to the creating of the general opinion of the public in 2004 that Zoran Djindjic was murdered because he was a criminal. This is the reason we have started to investigate this topic, because we thought that the citizens of Serbia had the right to know the truth - not the truth we present, but the truth based on facts, findings and testimonies of main partakers from that past. The show, which for the first time gave the right name to certain things, has been condemned many times. We were pressured, but also the newsroom of TV B92. However, all obstacles have been overcome thanks to the support of, before all, Veran Matic, Sasa Mirkovic and Sandra Savic. Finally, I just want to add that we, the “Insider”, will try to rise up to the award that carries the name of Dusan Bogavac”, said Brankica Stankovic.