Investigation Into Italy-Albania Migrant Deal Wins Daphne Journalism Prize

22 October 2026, 10:00 · Updated 22 October 2026, 16:01

An 18-month cross-border investigation exposing the contentious migration agreement between Italy and Albania has been awarded the 2026 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism.

The European Parliament presented the distinction on Wednesday to journalists Giacomo Zandonini and Maite Vermeulen for their reporting on the bilateral pact.

Under the migration deal between Rome and Tirana, asylum seekers intercepted at sea by Italian authorities are transferred to holding and processing centres on Albanian territory.

The winning investigation was published across European outlets, including Dutch media organisations, examining the operational realities and wider implications of offshore asylum processing.

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize was created by the European Parliament to recognise outstanding investigative journalism that promotes and protects core European Union principles and human rights.

The annual award honours the memory of the Maltese journalist assassinated in October 2017, spotlighting rigorous reporting conducted in the public interest across Europe.

Accepting the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the winning reporters described receiving the award as an "honour of a lifetime". The recognition followed their cross-border investigation examining the migration agreement between Italy and Albania.

The ceremony was attended by members of Daphne Caruana Galizia's family, including her son Matthew Caruana Galizia and her sister Corrine Vella, who watched as the investigative reporting team formally received the award.

The annual prize is organised by the European Parliament to support and celebrate outstanding investigative journalism that promotes core democratic values across Europe.