Skopje, 4 March 2024 (MIA) — Ten novels published in 2023 out of the 36 entries competing for the 25rd Novel of the Year have made the shortlist for the award, according to contest organizers Slavko Janevski Foundation.

A panel of five judges (Vlada Uroshevikj, chair; Branko Cvetkoski; Marija Gjorgjieva; Sasho Ognjanovski; and Katerina Bogoeva) will choose the winning novel.

The judges have shortlisted the following ten titles:

1. "I Won't Tell" by Petar Andonovski, Polica

2. "Mine" by Igor Angjelkov, Ili Ili

3. "Unique Citizen Identification Number" by Lidija Dimkovska, Tri

4. "Happy People Don't Celebrate Birthdays" by Sasho Kokalanov, Ili Ili

5. "Geni, meni, seni (The Origin of Grandmothers)" by Vladimir Lukash, Suprema

6. "If Any Feelings Should Develop: A Collection about Goce and Janka's Love" by Blazhe Mineski, Matica makedonska

7. "Oblivion" by Tomislav Osmanli, ViG Zenica

8. "I Can Still Do Something" by Frosina Parmakovska, Ili ili

9. "The Green Castle" by Sibo, Ars Libris

10. "Bella Alone", Violeta Tancheva Zlateva, Tri

The winner will be announced by March 15 at the latest.

Komercijalna Banka and the Ministry of Culture are sponsoring the annual award, which consists of a statuette, a plaque, and Mden 150,000.

Between 1999 and 2017, the Novel of the Year award was given by Utrinski vesnik. After the newspaper’s demise, Slavko Janevski Foundation took over the book contest. mr/