42 entries were honored out of the more than 300 submitted to the competition for this anniversary edition, which marks 15 years since the launch of the Superscrieri Awards
- The Superscrieri 15 competition included the following main categories: Journalistic Debut, Thematic Journalism, Interview, TV & Video Journalism, Investigative Journalism, Local Press, Feature Writing, Innovation, and Civic Influencers
- During the gala, honorary awards were presented for: Editorial Team of the Year, Editor of the Year, Non-Fiction Book, Explanatory Journalism, Lifetime Achievement Award, International Journalism, Anti-Disinformation, and Mentor to Generations of Journalists;
- Special thematic awards were also presented: “Mental Health in Romania” and “Animal Welfare in Romania”;
- Thematic scholarships were also offered: the Superscrieri – Ion Rațiu Scholarship for investigative journalism, the Superscrieri – Naumann Scholarship on human rights and civil partnerships, the Superscrieri – Snoop Scholarship dedicated to mental health, and the Superscrieri – Bitdefender Scholarship dedicated to online scams using AI techniques;
- In total, 42 winning entries were selected from over 300 submissions;
- The 15th anniversary edition had the theme “Together, we have achieved more than we think” and celebrated the evolution of Romanian journalism over the past 15 years.
Bucharest, May 28, 2026 – The Superscrieri Awards, now in their 15th anniversary edition and organized by the Friends for Friends Foundation, announced their winners at the Superscrieri Gala. The Recorder documentary “Justice Captured” received the “Superscrieri of the Year” and “Readers’ Superscrieri” awards. The jury prize was awarded to the PressOne report on how the Romanian state trains fighters from Horațiu Potra’s private army in elite units of the Ministry of National Defense. Forty-two journalistic pieces published in the press in Romania and the Republic of Moldova were honored out of the more than 300 entries submitted to the competition.
Journalist Emilia Șercan explained the rationale behind awarding the “Story of the Year” prize, stating that the documentary “outraged, revolted, and brought people out onto the streets,” and that the journalists who worked on it “were threatened, discredited, and pilloried simply for doing their job in good faith and in the public interest.”
“This report [Justice Captured] would not have existed without the work of many other journalists who covered this topic long before we did. (…) And I would also like to thank those who picked up the story, those who continued to discuss it in their publications,” said Andreea Pocotilă, a Recorder journalist and winner of the “Superscrierea Anului” and “Superscrierea Cititorilor” awards, alongside Mihai Voinea, on the Superscrieri stage.
Journalist Mihai Voinea also spoke about solidarity within the journalism community.
“I remembered that extraordinary moment at the press conference at the Court of Appeals, when I had a thousand mixed emotions, but one of the strongest was solidarity. It was extraordinary, because I’ve never felt that so strongly before—that we, as journalists, are on the side of good and are fighting against people who are standing right in front of us (…) and we felt very powerful. At one point, Andreea asked a question and was given a curt answer; she wanted to ask a follow-up question and was cut off. “That’s it, you’ve asked your question.” Then a reporter from Digi24 stepped in and said, “I’ll ask my question.” It was extraordinary. There were journalists from television, online media, all kinds of media—independent press, mainstream press—and we felt united and we felt strong,” said Mihai Voinea, a Recorder journalist and winner of the “Superscrierea Anului” and “Superscrierea Cititorilor” awards, alongside Andreea Pocotilă on the Superscrieri stage.
Some of the award-winning journalists highlighted the fragility of the industry and the challenges facing independent media funding.
“I’ve been working at PressOne for 10 years, and the fact that PressOne has existed for 10 years is a miracle in itself. It’s thanks to the sustained efforts of several generations of people who envisioned what conscientious journalism in Romania should look like,” said Bianca Felseghi, winner of the Jury Prize, alongside Răzvan Filip.
The main categories of the competition were Journalism Debut, Feature Journalism, Interview, TV & Video Journalism, Investigative Journalism, Local Press, Feature Writing, Innovation, and Civic Influencers. The jury for these categories was chaired by Dan Duca and included Alina Mărculescu Matiș, Alina Radu, Cătălin Striblea, Codruța Simina, Cristian Leonte, Daniel Condurache, Dragoș Pătraru, Emilia Șercan, Irina Păcurariu, Marian Voicu, Marius Comper, Mihai Ghiduc, Mona Dîrțu, Oana Giurgiu, Paula Herlo, Paul Radu, Robert Schwartz, and Tudor Mușat. The “Civic Influencers” category was judged by Cătălin Moise, Diana Filimon, and Monica Jitariuc.
During the gala, honorary awards were also presented for Editorial Team of the Year, Editor of the Year, Non-Fiction Book, Explanatory Journalism, Lifetime Achievement Award, International Reporting, Anti-Disinformation, and Mentor to Generations of Journalists.
Two special thematic awards were also presented: “Mental Health in Romania” and “Animal Welfare in Romania,” judged by Andrei Ciurcanu and Sorana Stănescu.
This year’s edition also included several thematic scholarships: the Superscrieri – Ion Rațiu Scholarship for investigative journalism, the Superscrieri – Naumann Scholarship, dedicated to human rights and civil partnerships, the Superscrieri – Snoop Scholarship, dedicated to mental health, and the Superscrieri – Bitdefender Scholarship, dedicated to online scams based on AI techniques. The jury for the thematic scholarships consisted of Alexandra Nistoroiu, Iulia Roșu, Luiza Vasiliu, Diana Oncioiu, Iulia Stănoiu, and Victor Ilie.
The jury members recused themselves from evaluating submissions involving a conflict of interest.
Winners of Superscrieri Edition 15:
SUPERSTORY OF THE YEAR
Justice Captured – Andreea Pocotilă, Mihai Voinea (Recorder)
JURY AWARD
The Romanian state is training top fighters from Horațiu Potra’s private army in three elite units of the Ministry of National Defense. PressOne Sources: “It’s a Bleeding” – Bianca Felseghi, Răzvan Filip (PressOne)
READERS’ SUPERSTORY
Justice Captured – Andreea Pocotilă, Mihai Voinea (Recorder)
JOURNALISM DEBUT
1ST PLACE Hidden-camera investigation. How easy is it to become a driving instructor in Romania? – Gabriel Nicolae, produced in collaboration with David Muntean (Recorder)
2ND PLACE On the way to school with a stop at the sportsbook – Raluca Cristea (Școala9)
3rd PLACE (2 winners): The Right to Shade: The Lack of Green Spaces Becomes a Matter of Life and Death in Bucharest – Anamaria Sandu (Mindcraft Stories)
and The Kings of Sinaia: Common Areas in Beniamin Gonț’s Apartment Buildings, Sold as Luxury Apartments. New real estate scandal in the mountain resort where the mayor is accused of buying a castle with bribe money – Luiza Popovici (PressOne)
THEMATIC JOURNALISM
1ST PLACE
„Party Funds” series – Cristian Andrei (Snoop)
GOLD for Realitatea: George Simion spent one million euros on a day of promotion and nearly half that amount on a show featuring Anca Alexandrescu—but without him
„They’ve mortgaged the PNL.” 25 million euros in debt to a single company; TV stations are calling for their money
The price of Ciucă’s book: 3,000 copies printed and promoted for 2.5 million euros
2nd PLACE SEISM podcast – Andrei Popoviciu (Scena9)
3rd Place x 2 winners:
the series on the Praid disaster – Bianca Felseghi (PressOne)
Chronicle of a collapse foretold: Praid is underwater and under a veil of silence
The dead Târnava Mică River: How the collapse of the Praid Salt Mine turned an entire valley into a disaster zone
Ripple effects of the Praid salt disaster: water from dams in three counties was sacrificed to dilute the waters of the Mureș
and
the series on Asian workers in Romania – Iulia Hau (Snoop & HotNews)
Local networks exploit Asian workers in Romania and leave them in an illegal status
“I didn’t beat him, we just had a heated discussion.” What happened to a Sri Lankan man working in Romania so he wouldn’t lose his rice and banana fields back home
How Sri Lankan DJs came to travel constantly between Italy and Romania for their community’s underground parties
TV & VIDEO JOURNALISM
1st Place (2 winners): „The Kremlin’s Digital Army” series, Episode I, Episode II – Natalia Zaharescu, Măriuța Nistor: text editor: Victor Moșneag, video editor: Anatolie Eșanu, editing: Andrei Muntean (Ziarul de Gardă)
and
The Largest Shell Company, Validated by ANAF – Alex Nedea (Recorder)
2nd PLACE: “Trained to Cause Chaos” series, Episode I, Episode II, Episode III – Malvina Cojocari (CU SENS). Contributors: Irvin PEKMEZ (Detektor.ba), Enes HODZIC (Detektor.ba), Nino BILAJAC (Detektor.ba), Ralitsa FICHEVA (Factcheck.bg)
3rd Place: Alone. The Never-Ending Nightmare of Abandoned Children – Diana Meseșan, Mihai Voinea, Cristian Delcea (Recorder)
INVESTIGATION
1ST PLACE Justice Under Siege – Andreea Pocotilă, Mihai Voinea (Recorder)
2ND PLACE The Kremlin’s Digital Army series, Episode I, Episode II – Natalia Zaharescu, Măriuța Nistor; text editor: Victor Moșneag, video editor: Anatolie Eșanu, editing: Andrei Muntean (Ziarul de Gardă)
3rd PLACE The Romanian state is training top fighters from Horațiu Potra’s private army in three elite units of the Ministry of National Defense. PressOne sources: “It’s a hemorrhage” – Bianca Felseghi, Răzvan Filip (PressOne)
LOCAL PRESS
1st PLACE: „Who Is George Simion?” series, Episode I, Episode II – Răzvan Moldoveanu (Reporter from Iași)
2nd PLACE “The Negoiță Circuit” series. How one of the capital’s newest boulevards collapsed – Florin Râșteiu (reporter and editor), Răzvan Chiruță (reporter), Cătălin Doscaș (editor) (Buletin de București)
3rd PLACE Broken Souls: What Can Adults Do When the World Crumbles Around Children? – Edit Éva Pál (Átlátszó Erdély) translated material
FEATURE WRITING
1st PLACE The Black Fox of the War in Ukraine – Polina Cupcea (Oameni și Kilometri)
2nd PLACE 2 winners: A blacksmith in Corcova, a painter in Brussels – Elena Stancu, Cosmin Bumbuț (Teleleu & HotNews)
and Why We Can’t Reinforce Bucharest Before the Earthquake – Vlad Odobescu, photos by Ioana Cîrlig (Scena9)
3rd Place: Thirsty Villages, Privileged Cities. A Looming Groundwater Crisis Exacerbates Rural-Urban Inequalities in Moldova – Adina Florea, Cosmin Filișan (photo) (Scena9)
INNOVATION
1ST PLACE A Journey Through the Cosmos, Departing from Bârlad – Ionuț Sociu; photographer: Ioana Cîrlig; multimedia installations: Augmented Space Agency; editor: Andra Matzal (Scena9)
2ND PLACE “What We Hide: Magazine – Exhibition – Conversations” – Scena9 & Rezidența9
3rd PLACE Abortion on TikTok – Denisa Sandu, Radu Mihai (Școala9)
INTERVIEW
1st PLACE (2 winners): Judge Daniela Panioglu, following the Recorder report: “Give up hope, it’s a controlled system” – Vitalie Cojocari (Euronews Romania)
and
Răzvan Rădulescu: “I don’t want to make movies anymore. I feel like this world isn’t mine anymore” – Anca Vancu (Scena9)
2nd PLACE Writer Mihail Șișkin: “Russia can no longer be saved. Our responsibility is to save culture.” – Alexandra Tănăsescu (Cultura la dubă)
3rd PLACE The adolescents without adolescence in Pirita go to school and dream of a better future, but for that they need opportunities – Oana Moisil (Meandre newsletter)
CIVIC INFLUENCERS
1st PLACE The Influence of Driving Under the Influence: The Democratization of Science and Civic Mobilization, from Convincing the Majority of Judges to Overcoming the Majority of Parliamentarians – Vlad Zaha
2nd PLACE Representation of Roma in the media, episodes: Haurențiu, Mircea Bravo, Loredana, Lolita, Dan Frînculescu – Bogdan Burdușel
3rd PLACE “It’s Called FEMICIDE” – Women’s Rights, Feminism, Violence Against Women – Mălina Irimia
HONORARY AWARDS
Editorial Team of the Year – Recorder
Editor of the Year – Alexandra Tănăsescu (Cultura la dubă)
Non-Fiction Book – Cosmin Popa – Economy, Corruption, and Politics in Nicolae Ceaușescu’s Romania (Corint Publishing)
Honorary Award for Investigative Journalism – Sorana Stănescu – Foaia de observație
Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievement: Europa Liberă România, Panorama, Mindcraft Stories
Honorary Award for International Reporting: Andrei Popoviciu
Honorary Award for Anti-Disinformation: Iulia Stănoiu (Context), Victor Ilie (Drepturi și Strâmbe), Matei Vrabie (Public Record)
Honorary Mentor Award for generations of journalists: Daniel Condurache
SCHOLARSHIPS AND SPECIAL AWARDS
The Superscrieri – Ion Rațiu Scholarship for Investigative Journalism – Florin Râșteiu, Buletin de București
The Special Award for “Mental Health in Romania” – Online Challenges, Real-Life Consequences – Andreea Archip, Cristian Lupșa (editor) (Școala9)
Special “Animal Welfare in Romania” Award – shared between two winners: Euthanasia as a Business: Tens of Thousands of Dogs Killed for Millions of Euros in Public Funds, Under the Eyes of the Authorities – Medeea Stan (Snoop)
and
“The Road to Death” in Codlea: Thousands of Dogs Euthanized with Public Funds Under the Command of a Veterinarian Sanctioned for Cruelty – Alina Zibrițchi (PressOne)
Superscrieri Scholarship – Naumann on the topic “human rights: civil partnership” – Vanessa Mathe
Superscrieri Scholarship – Snoop on the topic “mental health” – Luiza Popovici (PressOne)
Superscrieri Scholarship – Bitdefender “online scams using AI techniques” – Răzvan Robu (Public Record)
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EDITION SUPPORTERS:
Growth Partners
Bitdefender, BRD – Groupe Societe Generale, Kaufland
Category Sponsors
PPC, FAN Courier, Media Trade Services, Blitz Production, Ethical Media Alliance, Humane World for Animals, Difine PR
Scholarship Partners
Rațiu Democracy Center, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Snoop
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About Superscrieri, a program of the Friends For Friends Foundation (FFFF.RO):
Since 2011, Superscrieri has been our tribute to authors who, through the power of their writing, their originality, honesty, and courage, continue to tell us the stories that matter. To authors who believe in the power of the well-chosen word, who show us how things really are, who free us from prejudices and stereotypes, who move us, enrich us, and shield us from fake news. It is to them that we gratefully dedicate the Superscrieri awards, scholarships, and seminars.
