CALL FOR JOURNALISTS AND EDITORIAL TEAMS

Dear media representatives, dear fellow journalists,     

Socio-economic reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the key challenges that the new authorities that will emerge from the October general elections are to address and act on. The Compact for Growth and Jobs is an important initiative to concretize this challenge in the public opinion. It focuses on the absolute necessity of creating more jobs and reducing taxes and other levies that make it difficult to start a business in BiH. More information about the Compact for Growth and Jobs is available at: http://archive.europa.ba/News.aspx?newsid=7261&lang=EN
 
The need to create more jobs was the central premise underlying the work of the Forum for Prosperity and Jobs, which brought together representatives of government, employers and workers, along with international and BiH economic experts from May to July 2014.

The Forum itself was organised in Sarajevo in May in cooperation with the IMF, the World Bank, the EBRD and the US Embassy. It was attended by senior BiH and international officials. After the meeting in Sarajevo, a follow-up working seminar was organised in Banja Luka, with the support of the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
 
In July, as a result of these consultations, the European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina officially presented the Compact for Growth and Jobs outlining the following six main proposals for economic reform:
 
– Taxes on jobs (Reduce taxation on jobs so as to make it easier to employ new workers);
– Barriers to jobs (Increase openness and competitiveness in the labour market so as to make it easier for young people and unemployed adults to find work – and also to ensure that those who work hard are properly rewarded);
– Business climate (Slash the administrative and time requirements to start a business);
– Enterprises (Establish an improved insolvency framework so that businesses can be rapidly restructured);
– Corruption (Produce transparent and public e-registers of procedures for obtaining licences and permits);
– Social protection (Reduce the number and value of privileged pensions, and increase the level of social assistance for those who really need it).

The Employment Fair subsequently organised on 21 November in Zenica was a continuation of the effort by the EUSR and the Royal Norwegian Embassy to familiarise citizens with the main elements in the Compact for Growth and Jobs.

Recognising the importance of the issue in public opinion and debate, and the need for effective media coverage of a very complex issue, with the support of the EU Special Representative’s Office and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the following competition is announced:  

Competition for journalists: Feature stories without genre limitations

The feature can be written/recorded in the form of an investigative journalism piece, an interview, reportage, or a story/reportage/video/ or radio piece/infographics/, or in any other form, covering one of the following topics:

– Taxes on employment: What would be the impact of a cut in employment tax—on the economy as a whole and particularly on the private sector. Would employment increase?

– Labour regulation: Are people in BiH effectively excluded from economic opportunities because of strict rules and regulations that protect those that already have jobs and opportunities?

– Business climate: The business climate in BiH is one of the worst in the region (according to the World Bank). What needs to be done to improve it whille aslo promoting social responsibility?

– Welfare system: The social welfare and pension systems are not sustainable and give large benefits to those who do not really need them. Does the evidence bear this out and what’s the way forward?

Eligibility:
 
The competition is open to journalists and editorial teams from throughout the country. Only features published on the above topics in any BiH media outlet from 6 December 2014 to 9 February 2015 will be considered; the Awards Committee will pay closest attention to those features that highlight the possibilities that exist in everyday life to improve the business climate, or features that showcase ways in which the Compact for Growth and Jobs can be turned into  reality.

All contributions will be evaluated. There will be nine awards in total: first, second and third place to be announced at ceremonies in Široki Brijeg, Prijedor and Travnik respectively.
 
Awards:

1st prize: 2,000 KM
2nd prize: 1,200 KM
3rd prize: 800 KM

Make a journalistic contribution to job creation and economic recovery in Bosnia and Herzegovina!
 
Please submit your feature by post to the following address:

Agencija BORAM,  Ćumurija 2, 71 000 Sarajevo
 
or via e- mail to: novinarski.konkurs@boram.ba
 
with the subject: Journalism Competition BiH ECONOMIC RECOVERY