Journalist and former N1 director Igor Bozic has been named the winner of this year’s Solidarity Award for Journalists from Southeast Europe, presented by the German-based Southeast Europe Association (SOG). The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Berlin on July 9, the association announced.
The SOG said that Bozic is a Serbian journalist and media executive with over 30 years of experience in independent media and broadcast journalism.
Until earlier this year, he served as the director of N1 Serbia, one of the leading independent news platforms in the Western Balkans. In this role, he oversaw editorial strategy and newsroom operations during a period of intense political pressure on independent media in Serbia. Bozic is widely recognized for his commitment to press freedom and professional journalism, having worked in an increasingly hostile environment for independent journalists, particularly during the 2025 protests, when attacks and threats against journalists intensified, SOG said in a press release.
The Solidarity Award for Journalists from Southeast Europe honors courageous journalists from partner countries, who often expose themselves to great personal risks due to their critical reporting, the association said.
The award aims to honor their outstanding work and to recognize their contribution to the promotion of democracy, rule of law, and media freedom. It is also intended to contribute to the protection of journalists on the ground through the public attention it attracts and to honor the great achievements of the award winners.
With the award, the SOG wants to demonstrate that it stands by those who speak up for European values, such as freedom of the press and freedom of expression, it said.
Established in 2021, the award is funded entirely through donations, the press release said.
Proposals for potential award winners can be submitted until March 31 of each year.
Source: N1
