The Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence was awarded on March 20 to ten journalists from around Southeast Europe, following their selection from almost 70 applications received.

The chosen journalists are:

• Aleksandra Stankovic from Serbia,
• Andrea Gheorghe from Romania,
• Dalibor Dobric from Croatia,
• Darko Duridanski from Macedonia,
• Gjergj Erebara from Albania,
• Lavdim Hamidi from Kosovo,
• Magda Munteanu from Romania,
• Mirsad Bajtarevic from Bosnia,
• Stanimir Ivanov Kumurdijev from Bulgaria and
• Zvezdana Crnogorac from Serbia .

They will participate until the end of the year in an intensive programme of training, research and reporting, beginning with a week-long seminar in Berlin on April 18.

Information on their experiences will be regularly posted on the Fellowship website.

Entry to the competition for the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence closed on February 29, 2008. We have received total of 64 eligible applications.

Following the close of the appeal for applications, the selection committee intends to choose up to ten journalists to participate in this year’s programme.

The selection committee consists of six permanent members from the media community in the Balkans, Austria and Germany, as well as one annual member, who is an expert on this year’s Fellowship theme - energy.

The results of the selection will be announced on March 20 on fellowship.birn.eu.com.