Skopje, 27 January 2026 (MIA) — The Macedonian Writers Association announced Tuesday the shorlists for their annual awards for best fiction, best poetry collection, best children's book, best book of essays and best book published in one of the languages ​​of the country's ethnic communities.

According to the MWA, 53 books published in 2025 were submitted to this year's contest.

Of the 17 works submitted for the Stale Popov Best Fiction prize, eight made the shortlist. They are: "Power Will Pass, Too" by Irena Jurcheva; "Where Are You Flying, Julia?" by Hana Korneti; "Eleven Proven Ways to Fuck Up Love" by Dragana Lukan Nikoloski; "Zara Zarina" by Liljana Pandeva; "Crooked Diana" by Frosina Parmakovska; "Aragon" by Mihajlo Sviderski; "Three Marys" by Olivera Kjorveziroska; and "The Returnee with Two Faces" by Ivica Chelikovikj.

Of the 16 works submitted for the Aco Shopov Best Poetry Book award, eight made the shortlist. They are "Cesarean Section in the Sky" by Daniela Andonovska Trajkovska; "Broken Silence" by Elizabeta Bandilovska; "Two Rabbits with One Brush" by Vladimir Martinovski; "Hours Without a Clock" by Vladimir Martinovski; "Vision of the Seven Rivers: Shadows and Chills" by Zoran Pejkovski; "Guardians of Small Things" by Ana Pejchinova; "Notes of a Future Old Man" by Bratislav Tashkovski; and "Imaginations (Lyrical Etudes from Another World)" by Branko Cvetkoski.

Of the 13 works submitted for the Vancho Nikoleski Best Children's Book award, seven made the shortlist. They are "The Thirteenth" by Lidija Dimkovska; "Little Stories for Big Dreamers" by Vlado Dimovski; "Ilina and the Secrets of Baba's Tooth" by Hana Korneti; "Giantdwarf" by Ermis Lafazanovski; "Step by Step, from Dojran to Popova Shapka" by Vasil Mukaetov; "Dodo, the Alien and the Cat" by Frosina Parmakovska; and "The Order and Badges" by Stojan Tarapuza.

Four works were submitted and shortlisted for the Dimitar Mitrev Critical Essay Collection prize. They are "Film Eye" by Igor Angjelkov; "A Class of Optional Reading" by Vesna Mojsova Chepishevska; "The Return of Orpheus" by Suzana V. Spasovska and "Literary Harmonies and Mirrors" by Elizabeta Sheleva.

Three works were submitted for the Bridge Award for best book published in one of the languages ​​of the country's ethnic communities. They all made the shorlist for the prize. They are Ahmet Selmani's "Embsuame Paskajore" ("Infinitive Lesson"), Ljerka Tot Naumova's "Pronicanje tišine" ("Penetration of Silence") and Kalosh Çeliku's "Atdheu: burrë pa grua" ("The Fatherland: A Man Without a Woman").

The winners will be announced in early February. They will receive their awards at MWA's 79th anniversary celebration on Feb. 13. mr/