The National Library of Serbia has awarded the Vladan Desnica Prize for Best Novel in 2024 to author Muharem Bazdulj for his work Limeni lijes za Zaimović Zejnu, published by publishing house Kosmos.

The award ceremony was held at the National Library, with director Dr Vladimir Pištalo and jury member Mirjana Mitrović presenting the prize. This year’s award marks a significant occasion, coinciding with the 120th anniversary of writer Vladan Desnica’s birth.

In his address, Muharem Bazdulj said: “Different literary traditions and languages have different stereotypes, but one, it seems to me, is universal – the scepticism of true creators toward the real competence of critics who are not creators themselves. That’s why recognition from a jury like this one means especially much to me.”

The Vladan Desnica Award is the only literary prize in Serbia granted by writers to their colleagues writers. This year’s jury included nine esteemed authors, led by Dušan Kovačević and featuring Ljubica Arsić, Mirjana Mitrović, Đorđe Pisarev, Enes Halilović, Vule Žurić, Vladimir Tabašević, Goran Gocić, and Stevo Grabovac.

Established in 2022 on the initiative of Dr Pištalo, the award honours the best novel first published in the previous calendar year.

More information is available at https://nb.rs/dodela-nagrade-vladan-desnica-za-najbolji-roman-2024-godine/ (in Serbian)