OREANDA-NEWS. For the fourth time, Bank Austria Creditanstalt (BA-CA), a member of the UniCredit Group, in co-operation with the APA - Austria Presse Agency is announcing the prestigious journalism prize “Writing for CEE”. Journalists from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are invited to submit their articles for the competition. The winner of the award will gain a prize money of 5,000 euros, reported the press-centre of IMB.

Until 31 July 2007 journalists have the possibility to hand in articles already published in print or internet media in the period from 1 August 2006 to 31 July 2007. Radio-, TV- and online transcripts are also eligible and welcome. Requirements for submission are: the article in its original language, an English translation as well as the author’s curriculum vitae. Detailed information as well as the application form for “Writing for CEE” can be downloaded from the Internet at http://www.apa.at/cee-award. Applications can be sent to the e-mail address cee.award@apa.at. The winner of the prize will be announced in November 2007 in a festive ceremony held in Vienna.

The prize, which was awarded for the first time in 2004, was established to promote well-founded journalistic discussion of issues regarding European integration. In 2006, Bosnian journalist Љefik Dautbegoviж was awarded the prize. His ironic description of the search for a path from the Bosnian capital Sarajevo to Europe captured the jury. Dautbegoviж was born in 1948 in Prozor and has been working since 1973 for the Sarajevo newspaper Oslobodjenje. The year before, Bulgarian journalist Diana Ivanova was awarded the “Writing for CEE” prize.

The members of the international jury are Jiшi Pehe, former advisor of Vaclav Havel, Slovak publisher Michael Berko, Slovenian author Joћe Hudezиek, Polish journalist Igor Janke, Hungarian radio journalist Jъlia Vбradi, the Head of Communications CEE of BA-CA, Ildiko Fьredi-Kolarik, as well as the head of the APA Foreign Policy Desk, Ambros Kindel.