Skopje, 18 September 2024 (MIA) — The Macedonian Writers Association will hold Wednesday its 2024 awards ceremony to present Blazhe Minevski with the Stale Popov Best Fiction prize; Zoran Anchevski with the Aco Shopov Best Poetry Book prize; Biljana Crvenkovska with the Vancho Nikoleski Best Children's Book award; and Lidija Kapushevska Drakulevska and Vlada Uroshevikj with the Dimitar Mitrev Critical Essay Collection prize.

Minevski's novel "If Any Feelings Should Develop" (Matica, 2023) is based on Macedonian revolutionary Goce Delchev's love life. Gordana Jovikj Stojkoska, who chaired the panel of judges deciding the award, told a press conference Monday that the fictionalized story of Delchev and his beloved Janka Kancheva's relationship was both "Macedonian fiction" and "universal fiction." The other two judges for the Stale Popov Best Fiction prize were Olivera Kjorveziroska and Stefan Markoski.

This year's Aco Shopov Best Poetry Book winner is "The Lives of Horses" by Zoran Anchevski (Ars lamina, 2023). The award was decided by a panel of judges consisting of Elena Prendzhova, Snezhana Stojcheska and Zoran Jakimovski. 

"The Land of Forgotten Tales" by Biljana Crvenkovska (Chudna shuma, 2023), illustrated by Oliver Kolareski, won MWA's Vancho Nikoleski Best Children's Book award. The panel of judges for this award was made up of Suzana Miceva, Naum Popeski and Stevo Simeski.

The MWA decided that the Dimitar Mitrev Critical Essay Collection prize should go to "Birds in an Aquarium" (Polica, 2023) by Lidija Kapushevska Drakulevska and Vlada Uroshevikj. The judges for the prize were Ivan Dodovski, Sonja Stojmenska Elzeser, and Elizabeta Pandilovska.

According to MWA president Zhivko Grozdanoski, the Bridge Award for best book published in one of the languages ​​of the ethnic communities will not be awarded this year because only two books had been submitted to the contest. mr/