Skopje, 19 June 2024 (MIA) – Awards for professional reporting on the situation of refugees and stateless persons were handed over Wednesday in Skopje at a ceremony organized by the Macedonian Association of Young Lawyers with UNHCR and the Association of Journalists of Macedonia.

Marija Tumanovska won the top prize for “Ukrainian refuges in Macedonia”, a story published by Radio Free Europe. Second prize went to Simona Petrovska, a Telma TV journalist for “When the system produces victims – Memet Kamber lied without ID”. Urim Hasipi for his reporting on “Afrim Berisha from Tetovo bribed to get identification documents” aired on Koha TV, won the third prize.  

Awards for professional reporting on refugees and stateless persons have been presented for the tenth year in a row, Nita Cavoli, communications officers at the Association of Young Lawyers, told MIA. 

“This recognition is important because it informs the society about the suffering and hardships of these people. Millions of refugees transited through our country in recent times. Also, there are over 700 stateless people in our country. We’re close to settling most of the cases. In this fight, journalists play a pivotal role,” stated Cavoli.

The world, she concluded, needs to work on having empathy and be in solidarity as it marks World Refugee Day, June 20. 

“Let’s make people feel welcomed. In addition to persecution and war, the number of people uprooted due to ecological reasons is on the rise. It could happen to anyone and we have to show solidarity,” Cavoli said. 

Photo: MIA