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About ICS

The Institute of Communication Studies is a leading research organization in the field of journalism and media studies, public relations and corporate communications. Our mission is to contribute towards strengthening of Macedonian democracy by working with media, civil society and public institutions, educating a critical public that will ask for greater transparency and accountability through engagement in the policy creation process.

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Winners of the best blog competition “Do you have a better idea?”

The selection committee announces the winners of the competition for the best blog “Do you have a better idea?” organized by Res Publica and ICS.

The received texts addressed various problems in the society, and outlined solutions to those problems that would improve the lives of the citizens. The blogs covered economic issues, health issues, the environment, education and many other areas of public interest. In heavy competition, the Commitee awarded the first three places to the following blogs.

Winner of the competition:

  1. Sonja Stojadinovic (“Redesigning public space: improving the quality of life”).

Winners of a Voucher from Akademska Kniga (second and third place):

  1. Petar Todorovski (“The path to a better legal aid for citizens”).
  2. Natalija Shikova (“(In)Effective measures in the fight against the pandemic”).

Additionally, the Commitee decided that the blogs prepared by Sergej Zafiroski (Economic Assistance in a Pandemic), Ljupka Janevska (How to Eliminate Air Pollution), Luka Pavicevikj (Legislative Reforms), Radovan Spiridonov/Stefan Solev (Helping Developing Countries Prosper) and Filip Kletnikov (Social Superstructures) meet the conditions for publication and in the next period will be published on Res Publica.

About the winning blogs

The winning blog prepared by Sonja Stojadinovic focuses on the opportunity of repurposing abandoned buildings throughout Macedonia and how their repurposing can improve the quality of life and health of citizens. Guided by the principles of circular economy and direct democracy, she offers proposals for repurposing buildings throughout Skopje and several other cities in Macedonia, emphasizing the importance of civic participation in the entire process.

The blog that came in second place, prepared by Petar Todorovski, addresses the problem of citizens in their search for effective justice. He emphasizes that the courts, ie their corruption, is not the main problem. The low knowledge of citizens about the legal procedures and also their lack of access to legal advice is what prevents them from exercising their rights. He offers several adequate reforms that will shorten the path to effective justice for citizens.

Natalija Shikova’s third-ranked blog focuses on the problem of overpriced PCR tests. In conditions when the state health institutions are faced with huge numbers of patients, the citizens have to wait for days before being tested. As a result, they are forced to turn to private laboratories where they have to pay much higher prices. She proposes state interventions in regulating the price of PCR tests, which will make it easier for citizens to get proper health care during these brutal times.

Congratulations to the winners and many thanks to all who submitted their texts.