The Best of The Sunday Show: Investigating High-Level Corruption in Eastern Europe

Across the world, political elites hold enormous power in their hands. Too often, they uses this power to enrich themselves and their allies.

In the last few years, the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia have introduced important anti-corruption reforms. Nonetheless, corrupt practices remain widespread in the region.

As politicians grow more adept at manipulating facts and burying the truth online and in the media using new technologies, journalists are using the same tools to fight corruption.

The challenges of this “post-truth” world for journalism were the subject of this year’s MezhyhiryaFest, an international investigative journalism conference, which was held at ousted former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s country estate in June.

Hromadske went to Mezhyhirya to discuss the future of investigative journalism with prominent practitioners from around the world.

Featuring guests:

Paul Radu, executive director of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)

Roman Anin, editor of the investigative department of the Moscow-based weekly independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta

Denys Bihus, Ukrainian investigative journalist for the television program Nashi Groshi

Nataliya Sedletska, Ukrainian investigative journalist for RFE/RL

Miranda Patrucic, an investigative reporter and regional editor for OCCRP focusing on Central Asia, the Balkans and the Caucasus

Scott Higham, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter at the Washington Post