HRISTO PETRESKI IS RECIPIENT OF KOČIĆ'S PEN AWARD

BANJA LUKA, MAY 5 /SRNA/ - Macedonian writer Hristo Petreski is the recipient of the Kočić's Pen Award for the spring of this year, which is given for outstanding achievements in contemporary literature and loyalty to the beauty of Kočić's thought and word, announced the Petar Kočić Banja Luka-Belgrade Endowment.

The jury, chaired by Nikola Vukolić, with members Miljenko Jergović and Mladen Vesković, unanimously decided to award Petreski for his book "Obrnuta /Reversed/ /Philosophy of the Snail/," published by the publishing house Makedonija Prezent from Skopje. "This book is not just a collection of poetic texts - it is a mosaic of intimate confessions, social critique, anthropological observations, and existential questions that run through every verse," said Vukolić. He emphasizes that the collection "Obrnuta /Philosophy of the Snail/" represents a powerful poetic world built on the foundations of human vulnerability, moral dilemmas, everyday trauma, and hope, and that it is imbued with symbolism, philosophical reflections, and linguistic precision. "In this poetry collection, Petreski continues his authentic poetic expression — minimalist, yet semantically rich, where every word is important, and every image carries a weight greater than it may appear at first glance. In his poems, one can feel the motive of self-reflection and hope for change, as well as a critique of social indifference and personal weakness," says Vukolić. Professor Dr. Hristo Petreski, born in 1957 in Kruševo, is one of the most significant contemporary Macedonian poets, essayists, and writers. He has published dozens of books and is the recipient of numerous literary awards and recognitions. The Kočić's Pen Award, presented by the Petar Kočić Banja Luka–Belgrade Endowment, will be officially awarded at a ceremony in late May in Skopje.