OSCE Person of Year award ceremony

B92 reporter Brankica Stankovic received OSCE 2010 Person of the Year award. Stankovic is the only award winner this year. OSCE Person of Year award ceremony The OCSE Mission to Serbia’s award is awarded to individuals who contribute to the implementation of the OSCE Mission's programs and uphold OSCE values in their work. Unlike for the past five years when the award was awarded in five different categories and therefore there were five winners, the B92 journalist is the only winner this year. “With its decision to give the award to Insajder author Brankica Stankovic OSCE wants to show that journalists who deal with sensitive issues and show special courage in their professional work are not forgotten,” said Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Dimitrios Kypreos who presented the award. “This time last year, in December of 2009, B92 journalist Brankica Stankovic revealed ties between football hooligans and organized crime in her well known program Insajder. This was the reason she received death threats. In support of journalist Brankica Stankovic the international community in Belgrade, headed by OSCE Mission to Serbia, visited the B92 and gave support to this brave and exceptional journalist. Now, a year later, we decided that such exceptional and brave persons in what they are doing should not be forgotten and therefore it is a great honor to present the OSCE Person of the Year award to Brankica Stankovic,” said Kypreos. After thanking for the award, the B92 reporter pointed out that this had been the most difficult year in her career. “Even though I was aware that dealing with certain topics bore huge consequences I still didn’t believe that it could go this far. This means that I haven’t had freedom of movement in a year, I live with police security. This award is a confirmation and acknowledgement that no matter how high price you pay it is worth being consistent and fighting for the principles and values of democratic society in which there is no room for compromise when it comes to exposing mafia affairs and exposing corruption in competent institutions at all levels,” she stressed. Information Minister Nebojsa Bradic says that Stankovic deserved the Person of the Year award because she has been constantly pointing to the main problems in our society. “The example of Brankica Stankovic and B92 Television points to one of directions in investigative journalism that should be an example for many other media but also a message to the society,” he said. One of the recent Insajder program looked into violent supporter groups. More than 100 indictments have been raised against their members but court proceedings have never been finished. The B92 reporter received death threats on several occasions after this and therefore 24-hour police security has been assigned to her. “I’ve been impressed the whole day by the fact that a great woman in Myanmar is free from house arrest and one kind of drastic limitation of freedom. Even though Myanmar is far away and some dictatorship rules there, but looking at the situation that Brankica has been in for the past year, I keep thinking about a parallel that Brankica does not have a freedom of movement, that is that she has limited freedom of movement that comes down to rooms in her apartment and rooms she works in at B92 and it’s a task for all of us to eliminate such a situation,” said B92 Editor-in-Chief Veran Matic. Stankovic has been working on Insajder program since 2004 and she has been working for B92 since 1997. She was the editor of central news program of B92 Radio Dnevnik and was one of the editors of weekly program Jutopija. She won many awards for investigative journalism and journalistic courage. Brankica Stankovic and Veran Matic (Beta)

OSCE Person of Year award ceremony

The OCSE Mission to Serbia’s award is awarded to individuals who contribute to the implementation of the OSCE Mission's programs and uphold OSCE values in their work.

Unlike for the past five years when the award was awarded in five different categories and therefore there were five winners, the B92 journalist is the only winner this year.

“With its decision to give the award to Insajder author Brankica Stanković OSCE wants to show that journalists who deal with sensitive issues and show special courage in their professional work are not forgotten,” said Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Dimitrios Kypreos who presented the award.

“This time last year, in December of 2009, B92 journalist Brankica Stanković revealed ties between football hooligans and organized crime in her well known program Insajder. This was the reason she received death threats. In support of journalist Brankica Stanković the international community in Belgrade, headed by OSCE Mission to Serbia, visited the B92 and gave support to this brave and exceptional journalist. Now, a year later, we decided that such exceptional and brave persons in what they are doing should not be forgotten and therefore it is a great honor to present the OSCE Person of the Year award to Brankica Stanković,” said Kypreos.

After thanking for the award, the B92 reporter pointed out that this had been the most difficult year in her career.

“Even though I was aware that dealing with certain topics bore huge consequences I still didn’t believe that it could go this far. This means that I haven’t had freedom of movement in a year, I live with police security. This award is a confirmation and acknowledgement that no matter how high price you pay it is worth being consistent and fighting for the principles and values of democratic society in which there is no room for compromise when it comes to exposing mafia affairs and exposing corruption in competent institutions at all levels,” she stressed.

Information Minister Nebojša Bradić says that Stanković deserved the Person of the Year award because she has been constantly pointing to the main problems in our society.

“The example of Brankica Stanković and B92 Television points to one of directions in investigative journalism that should be an example for many other media but also a message to the society,” he said.

One of the recent Insajder program looked into violent supporter groups. More than 100 indictments have been raised against their members but court proceedings have never been finished. The B92 reporter received death threats on several occasions after this and therefore 24-hour police security has been assigned to her.

“I’ve been impressed the whole day by the fact that a great woman in Myanmar is free from house arrest and one kind of drastic limitation of freedom. Even though Myanmar is far away and some dictatorship rules there, but looking at the situation that Brankica has been in for the past year, I keep thinking about a parallel that Brankica does not have a freedom of movement, that is that she has limited freedom of movement that comes down to rooms in her apartment and rooms she works in at B92 and it’s a task for all of us to eliminate such a situation,” said B92 Editor-in-Chief Veran Matić.

Stanković has been working on Insajder program since 2004 and she has been working for B92 since 1997. She was the editor of central news program of B92 Radio Dnevnik and was one of the editors of weekly program Jutopija. She won many awards for investigative journalism and journalistic courage.