Daphne Caruana Galizia Journalism Prize 2026 awarded to migration investigation

On Wednesday, the 2026 Daphne Caruana Galizia Journalism Prize was presented at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The award ceremony, attended by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and Vice-President Pina Picierno, honored an investigative report on the migration agreement between Italy and Albania.

The winning project was authored by Italian journalist Giacomo Zandonini and Dutch journalist Maite Vermeulen. Their research, published on the Dutch news platform De Correspondent, focuses on the establishment of Italian-run migrant detention and asylum processing facilities on Albanian territory. An independent jury composed of journalists from across the European Union selected the winners.

During the event, President Metsola reaffirmed the European Parliament’s commitment to defending press freedom and seeking justice, noting that the prize continues the legacy of Daphne Caruana Galizia nine years after her assassination. The award highlights the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the controversial cooperation agreement between the two nations regarding regional migration management.