Nominations Open for the 2025 Red Line Journalism Awards

Nominations Open for the 2025 Red Line Journalism Awards

The Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) has officially opened nominations for the sixth edition of the Red Line Journalism Awards, which recognize outstanding journalistic achievements in the fight against corruption and in defense of the rule of law in Bulgaria.

The awards will be presented on December 9, 2025, to mark International Anti-Corruption Day.

“The Red Line Awards honor the courage and dedication of journalists who shed light on major abuses and defend the rule of law. In times of mounting pressure and attempts to restrict freedom of speech, every story that exposes wrongdoing helps citizens in their struggle for a more democratic and just Bulgaria,” said Boyko Stankushev, Director of the Anti-Corruption Fund.

Nomination Period

Nominations will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on December 1, 2025.

Journalists may nominate themselves or be nominated by colleagues, editorial teams, civil society organizations, or individual citizens.

For the first time, the nomination process is entirely online. The form is available at acf.bg/chervenalinia2025

All nominations must include journalistic work published between December 1, 2024, and December 1, 2025.

Award Categories

The 2025 Red Line Awards will be presented in four categories:

Investigative Journalism Award – for exposing corruption or conflicts of interest;

Rule of Law Award – for contributions to upholding the principles of the rule of law;

Regional Journalism Award – for impactful reporting at the local or regional level;

Young Journalist Award – for journalists up to 35 years of age working on issues related to corruption and the rule of law.

Evaluation Process

An independent jury of respected journalists, legal experts, and representatives of civil society will evaluate the nominations.

Entries will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• public significance of the topic;
• originality of the investigation;
• adherence to journalistic ethics;
• contribution to public understanding of the rule of law.

Award Ceremony

The winners of the 2025 Red Line Journalism Awards will be announced and honored at an official ceremony on December 9, 2025, on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day.

About the Red Line Awards

The Red Line Journalism Awards were established by the Anti-Corruption Fund Foundation to recognize journalists who, through their work, strengthen public accountability and promote democratic values.

The 2025 edition of the competition is organized by the Anti-Corruption Fund Foundation, with the support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation and the British Embassy in Sofia.

You may submit your nominations here.