In an award ceremony held on Wednesday, the Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) named N1 journalist Natasa Bozic-Saric Yournalist of the Year.

Bozic-Saric won 125 out of 454 votes by members of the HND. Other nominees were Ilko Cimic from the news portal Index, Dora Krsul from Telegram, and Hrvoje Simicevic from Novosti.

It was Bozic-Saric who reported on the story revealing the ruthlessness and cynicism of the ruling party in Croatia. Her media initiative resulted in the recent promises to resolve the issue of compensation for parents caregivers following their child’s death. Under pressure from Bozic-Saric, Social Welfare Minister Marin Piletic and the ruling coalition decided to give up on the decision to seize the properties of welfare beneficiaries to help pay for their costs.

“Bozic-Saric’s work on N1’s Sunday programme TNT is an example on how responsible journalism, focused on the public good, can change the society for the better,” the HND explained in their decision.

Posthumous awards for Matijanic and Bago

Nova TV reporter Mislav Bago and Index journalist Vladimir Matijanic were posthumously awarded the Otokar Kersovani Lifetime Achievement Award. Bago and Matijanic, who both died last August, were “passionate commentators and political reporters, uncompromising in their fight against injustice and lies,” the HND wrote. “They were like boxers facing a stronger opponent in the ring.”

During the ceremony, the head of the HND, journalist Hrvoje Zovko, said that journalism is under immense pressure in Croatia, pointing out that at least 945 lawsuits are currently pending against media outlets and journalists in the country.

“Journalism is a public good that we have to fight for,” Zovko warned.