The 2016 contests for EU awards for investigative journalism in Western Balkans and Turkey are now closed in all seven countries.
Vehbi Kajtazi: a backed-up story with an impact
Vehbi Kajtazi, a former journalist at daily newspaper Koha Ditore was the winner of the EU Award for Investigative Journalism in Kosovo for the year 2015. His investigative story “Strong suspicions about corruption in EULEX” was dealing with issue of corruption and abuse of power in the mission of European Union. The story was published by the daily newspaper Koha Ditore on November 1, 2014.
The story was diligently backed up by official documents gather by Kajtazi during the research, which clearly indicated corruption and abuse of power in the European Union Rule of Law mission in Kosovo. These insights made the High Representative of EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, to appoint an expert to investigate the officers at EULEX and see if they have implemented their mandate. The report was published and found that the Mission should change.
Bardh Rugova, member of the jury, on jury’s justification said: “They came in Kosovo to provide justice and law. An international credible mission called EULEX. However, after a period of time even its prosecutors did not believe in the justice of this mission. For the investigative story supported by official documents on the suspicions on corruption and abuse of power in the mission of European Union, the jury decided to give the first prize to the journalist of daily Koha Ditore, Vehbi Kajtazi, for the story 'Strong suspicions about corruption in EULEX'.”
The author of the story is one of the most prominent journalists in Kosovo. He is known for the investigative stories dealing with corruption and the rule of law. He has been working in several newspapers as editor in chief. Kajtazi has been awarded as the best journalist in Kosovo for two years in a row 2011 and 2014.
Vehbi Kajtazi shared his views on investigative journalism: “Investigative journalism for me has always been something passionate to deal with. It has not to do with the money nor the salary as an investigative journalist, but with the adrenaline and energy that it gives me, and surely the final goal which is the publication of the enormous affairs in public institutions, misuse of public money and other misuses that occur in Kosovo institutions.”