Selected by a five-member jury, the recipients of the 2025 Srdjan Aleksic Regional Journalism Award are Barbara Matejcic in the “Courage” category, Mila Vukcevic in the “Contribution to the Community” category, and N1 Serbia in the “Media” category.
The Srdjan Aleksic Regional Journalism Award honors professional and socially responsible reporting that brings tangible benefits to people and communities. It recognizes contributions to reconciliation, human rights protection, the inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable groups, gender equality, rule of law, the culture of dialogue, and the fight against hate speech and fake news, as well as demonstrated journalistic courage.
The jury unanimously awarded the Courage prize to Barbara Matejcic, a freelance journalist from Croatia, emphasizing that her investigative work demonstrates the highest standards of the journalistic craft.
In the Contribution to the Community category, the jury recognized Mila Vukcevic, a journalist and editor at Montenegro’s public broadcaster TVCG. She was awarded for her documentary film Brat (Brother), which brings the Montenegrin public face-to-face with dark events from the wars of the 1990s.
In the Media category, N1 TV Serbia stood out. According to the jury’s statement, the station proved over the past year that independent journalism is not a luxury, but an essential pillar of democracy in a society under pressure.
“In a society where media freedom and public discourse are constantly threatened, N1 not only documents reality but creates space for critical reflection, holding the government accountable, and preserving the public interest. Their professionalism and ethical consistency demonstrate that media can be the last line of defense for democratic principles – and for that reason alone, they deserve recognition,” the statement read.
The jury decided to once again award a Special Plaque, this year to the Novi Sad Group of Journalists for their exceptional, dedicated, and unified work during student protests in Serbia.
Thanks to them, images from Novi Sad traveled and continue to travel around the world, documenting the ruthlessness, criminality, and corruption of the regime, the statement added.
The journalism award is organized by the Helsinki Parliament of Citizens Banja Luka, Peace Building Network, Independent Association of Vojvodina Journalists, Media Institute of Montenegro and Association for Promotion of Media Culture, Art and Tolerance – Lupiga – “The World Seen Through the Common Eyes”, from Croatia.
The award ceremony will take place in Zagreb, on December 6, as part of the Days of Srdjan Aleksic events.
Source: N1
