The winners of the seventh edition of the Stefan Batory Foundation contest on investigative journalism, "Only Fish Don't Take the Bait" [“Tylko Ryba nie Bierze”] were announced on December 7. The contest, which was supported and co-sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, recognizes the best investigative print article or electronic broadcast report, where a corruption scheme was described and uncovered.
U.S. Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe represented the U.S. Embassy at the awards ceremony and delivered brief remarks on the importance and influence of investigative journalism, citing the Watergate affair and the efforts of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Ambassador Ashe added that investigative journalism plays a critical role in preserving and fortifying democracy by holding those in authority accountable for their actions.
The First Prize went to TV journalist Daniel Zieliński of TVN 24. In his footage "The Cardiologist without a Heart" he revealed the drama of a doctor, who was framed by his fellow colleague in a corruption scheme, jailed and sentenced when, in fact, he was innocent. It took almost six months for the journalist to investigate the case and reveal the truth.
The winners of the Second (equal) Prizes are Bertold Kittel of "Rzeczpospolita" for a series articles about the controversies surrounding the CEO of PZU, and Michał Kopiński of "Gazeta Wyborcza" for a report describing the process of extorting kickbacks from patients by doctors.
The winners of the Third Prize are Maciej Samcik and Bogdan Wróblewski of "Gazeta Wyborcza" for a series of articles about corruption schemes in Polish banks.
A Special Award, funded by Fundacja Wspomagania Wsi, went to Piotr Wróbel of the Rzeszów-based "Nowiny" for a series of articles featuring corruption among border guards.
• Stefan Batory Foundation
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