Story on suffering of elderly earns Markovič European Press Prize nomination
Ljubljana, 23 April - Nataša Markovič, a journalist and editor of the investigative news portal Preiskovalno.si, has been nominated for the European Press Prize for her "We Have Betrayed a Generation" feature story, which explores the social exclusion of the elderly and the neglect they suffer in individual care homes.
Ljubljana
Media.
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
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Markovič, a former RTV Slovenija journalist who co-founded Preiskovalno.si six months ago, is one of five European journalists shortlisted for the Public Discourse Award - For a Remarkable Textual Interpretation of the World We Live In.
Her story features painful personal accounts by family members, reports on cases of abuse in nursing homes, interlaced with commentary on systemic and moral issues, as well as best practice examples from abroad and Slovenia.
What are a total of 25 nominees in the five categories of the European Press Prize competition were picked among 800 entries from 40 countries by an international committee of journalists. A special jury will determine the winners, who will be announced at a ceremony usually taking place in May or June.
"This is a confirmation that we at Preiskovalno.si are on the right track," Markovič said in response to the nomination. She added that she and her colleague Barbara Pance made a commitment at the outset to all readers that they would act as a voice for vulnerable groups, especially the elderly.
Preiskovalno.si has been drawing attention to the empty beds in care homes resulting from a lack of staff and to the inexperience and inadequate competences of the staff. It also systematically monitors the use of taxpayers' funds and the management at the UKC Ljubljana hospital.