European Press Prize: all hail the gritty journalists of the Balkans

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/16/european-press-prize-balkans-journalists

Version 0 of 1.

The winners of the second great European Press Prize – to be announced in London tomorrow – are the cream of our continent's crop. But it needs to be added, by this EPP part-organiser at least, that the whole field of entries – nearing 400, from Finland to Turkey – is impressive going on inspiring. And if I had to salute one region beyond any other it would be the Balkans, where investigative reporters, often gathered into little collectives and networks, produce a constant stream of terrific stories: municipal corruption, election rigging, ministers and civil servants on the take.

We're used to hearing dreadful wails from big-money newspaper groups in the west, particularly the US. They say that mounting investigations is too expensive these days. They want to let millionaire-funded units of self-standing reporters (such as non-profit newsroom ProPublica) take over that role. They should come over to Sarajevo or Bucharest and see what dedication plus gritty resilience – journalism's gift to democracy – can achieve. There is a right to brave determination as well a right to know.