The Ministry of European Affairs, with financial support from the European Union through the EU4ME project, is announcing a call for the best journalistic story within the “Open about the EU” campaign.
The “Open about the EU” campaign aims to bring citizens closer to what EU membership means in practice through an open, professional, and well-argued approach. The focus is on topics that are often followed in the public space by concern and various “myths”, and which relate to youth emigration, open borders, economic changes, as well as issues of identity, values, sovereignty, and the position of small states in the European Union.
The campaign encourages these topics to be discussed clearly and openly – through concrete experiences, verified information, and life stories that help better understand the impact of European integration on everyday life.
RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE:
Journalists from all Montenegrin media outlets – television, radio stations, print media, and online portals – regardless of local or national character or ownership structure, have the right to apply.
CONTEST TOPICS:
In the public space, there are various myths and interpretations about Montenegro’s accession process to the European Union, relating to issues important for citizens’ everyday lives.
Journalistic stories should address one or more of the following topics, through concrete examples, interviewees, and analysis:
Does Montenegro lose sovereignty by joining the EU?
Does EU membership lead to price increases and what is its impact on the standard of living?
What is the position of small producers and entrepreneurs in the single European market?
Do open borders in the EU lead to a higher inflow of migrants?
Does EU membership mean young people leaving or greater opportunities to stay and return?
Is identity and culture lost by joining the EU?
What is the position of small states in the European Union and their influence on decision-making?
How stable is the European Union in times of global challenges and crises?
Stories should be based on real-life situations, experiences of citizens and member states, as well as relevant data, with the aim of clearly and understandably explaining how these changes affect citizens and society.
FORMAT AND APPLICATION:
Stories can be in video, audio, or written form and must be published in the media outlet where the author works during the contest period: from 27 April 2026 to 1 June 2026 at 15:00.
The published story should be sent by email to nada.vojvodic@mep.gov.me, with the subject line: “Application for the Best Story Competition – Open about the EU”.
TV and radio stories can be submitted via link or WeTransfer, online portal stories as a link, and print media stories as a formatted text.
THE EMAIL MUST INCLUDE:
name and surname of the author
media outlet name
short explanation of the topic choice and motivation
EVALUATION CRITERIA:
A professional jury will evaluate the works based on the following criteria:
relevance of the topic for the public
quality of coverage and sources used
clarity and comprehensibility
originality of approach
contribution to informing citizens
PRIZES:
first prize: 500 euros
second prize: 400 euros
third prize: 300 euros
For additional information, contact Nada Vojvodić at 067 396 589 or nada.vojvodic@mep.gov.me.