Author: Aleksandra Vrbica

BIRN Launches Database on Religious Communities’ Assets in North Macedonia

A new BIRN database puts a spotlight on the property portfolios of North Macedonia’s two main faith institutions.

From forests and meadows to lakeside hotels and mountain slopes, the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archdiocese of Ohrid (MPC-AO) owns roughly 100 square kilometres of property in North Macedonia, according to a new BIRN database that sheds fresh light on the Church’s assets.

In “Religious Properties Uncovered”, BIRN identified a total of 14,757 individual pieces of property in cadastral records over which the Macedonian Orthodox Church, its dioceses and individual churches owns, or has other rights to.

The Islamic Religious Community (IRC), its muftis’ offices and mosques, are listed as having ownership or other rights over 5,363 properties, covering 13 square kilometres.

The Religious Properties Uncovered database allows readers to view several parameters, such as the number and land area of ​​the properties of the two religious communities.

They can also search the properties by purpose, the municipality in which they are located, or the diocese or mufti whose jurisdiction they fall under.

Other key findings from the database:

  • MOC-AO controls about one-third of the Galicica mountain and large parts of the Macedonian side of the Jablanica mountain range. The IRC’s largest land parcel is located on the southern slopes of Vodno mountain, near the capital.
  • Over 80 per cent of the MOC-AO’s property consists of forests, meadows and pastures, covering around 8,100 hectares, while the IRC holds 3,200 hectares of forest.
  • MOC-AO owns 1,300 hectares of agricultural land, while the IRC controls 1,700 hectares.
  • MOC-AO has about 140,000 m² of residential space, and the IRC holds over 37,000 m², including new residential buildings in Skopje, Bitola, Tetovo, and other cities.
  • The Church owns commercial properties in the old bazaars of Skopje, Bitola, Ohrid and Prilep, while the IRC manages Debar’s market, a shopping complex in Gostivar, and properties in Struga, Tetovo and Bitola.
  • MOC-AO is the registered owner of the Izgrev and Biser hotels on Lake Ohrid, while the IRC owns an apartment in the Park Lakeside hotel in Ohrid.

The “Religious Property Uncovered” database was prepared over one year, is publicly accessible and aims to promote transparency and raise awareness about the scale and structure of religious institutions’ property holdings in the country.

Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence Winners Announced at Ceremony in Vienna

The winners of the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence were announced at a ceremony in Vienna on 16 May, honouring three powerful stories that reveal pressing environmental, political, and social challenges across Europe.

First prize of €3,000 was awarded to Zuza Nazaruk, a journalist from Poland currently based in the Netherlands, for her compelling story on the escalating crisis in the Białowieża Forest. The story examines how this UNESCO World Heritage site is being transformed into a militarised zone, where environmental degradation, heightened military presence, and migration converge. Through vivid reporting, Nazaruk reveals how thousands of migrants and soldiers are clashing in a forest once celebrated for its rich biodiversity, now caught in the crossfire of geopolitical tensions.

Jury member, and a correspondent for the Austrian daily, Der Standard, Adelheid Wölfl said: “Zuza Nazaruk shows the impact of geopolitical battles on the vulnerable and abused. She sheds light on those invisible in the thicket and portrays colourfully parts of our nature: plants, animals, and humans. She not only shows how much money and effort is spent in today’s Europe on preventing migration, but also the impact this has on our ecosystem. Zuza Nazaruk proves that we need journalism that gives a voice to those we cannot hear, and simultaneously safeguards something we all need: dignity.”

The second award of €2,000 went to Greek journalists Ioanna Louloudi and Paschalina Kapetaniou for their investigation into the Greek state’s repeated failure to accept responsibility and deliver justice to victims of police brutality, accidents, and disasters. Despite existing laws that mandate state compensation, the authorities frequently appeal rulings and prolong legal proceedings, forcing citizens into years-long battles for recognition and redress. Their story highlights the frustration and mistrust that this persistent denial of accountability fosters among the public.

“It is a Kafkaesque story, which happens now, in a democracy, where paradoxically the state fights against its citizens. It is a story about a human battle for dignity and civil rights,” said the jury member and Director of the Albanian Media Institute, Remzi Lani.

The third award of €1,000 went to Zuzana Vlasata from the Czech Republic for her story about a toxic leak on a Czech river. Her report shows how a factory linked to former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš should have been a prime suspect over the incident, but evaded official scrutiny. Jury member and editor at Bellingcat, Gyula Csák, said: “Zuzana Vlasata’s powerful and engaging investigative piece demonstrates state capture and systemic failure through the story of a factory accident in the Czech Republic.”

The ceremony marked the conclusion of the 2023 edition of the Fellowship.

In addition to jury members Adelheid Wölfl, Remzi Lani and Gyula Csák, this year’s panel included Milorad Ivanović, representing the FJE alumni network; Florian Hassel, Central and Eastern Europe correspondent for the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung; Elena Panagiotidis, editor at the Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung; and Kristof Bender, deputy chairman of the European Stability Initiative.

With the end of this year’s programme, seven fellows join the FJE alumni network – consisting of more than 150 journalists from 14 Central and Eastern European countries who promote the highest standards of professional journalism.

Launched in 2007, the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence is now in its eighteenth year. The programme fosters professional growth, cross-border cooperation, and in-depth reporting on key issues across central, eastern and south-eastern Europe. Each year, ten fellows receive financial and editorial support to develop long-form stories on complex regional and European topics.

The Fellowship is implemented by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network and supported by ERSTE Foundation.

Strengthening the Role and Capacities of Investigative Journalism in Kosovo

BIRN Kosovo

The project aims to strengthen independent media and civil society in Kosovo by enhancing their capacity for professional, fact-checked investigative reporting on democracy, human rights and European integration. It supports freedom of expression, media literacy and digital rights through training, legal support and targeted sub-grants and fellowships.

Summary:

Kosovo’s legal framework guarantees and protects freedom of expression, freedom and pluralism of media and access to public information. However, in practice, Kosovo and its media sector still face numerous systemic, economic and social constraints, creating obstacles to the dissemination of objective, professional and fact-checked information to the public. 

Kosovo’s media sector is in a difficult economic situation. It depends on political power and business groups and is also criticised by international organisations for lack of professionalism. According to Reporters Without Borders, media in Kosovo are financially fragile and therefore vulnerable to political influence. The Media Ownership Monitor found that “the market, through relatively small, is crowded, intensifying competition for limited advertising revenue and rendering media outlets vulnerable to external influences, including political and business interests”.

In recent years, Kosovo’s media landscape has seen a profound transformation as a result of the digital age. Information sharing has changed dramatically as a result of the internet and social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram, especially for young people. While TV is still the major source of information, with a long story in Kosovo’s media landscape, some radio stations now transmit their material online, so radio has, in some ways, also embraced the digitalization of media. On the other hand, online journalism is rapidly evolving as technology and internet use increases. However, journalists often report harassment and intimidation, especially on social media. To address the issues stated above, BIRN Kosovo in partnership with the Press Council of Kosovo (PCK) and TV Mreza, a network of local Serbian-language TV and online media in Kosovo, aim to strengthen the role and capacities of investigative journalism in Kosovo by bringing local, regional and international experience to investigative journalism, media development, fact-checking, capacity building and professional experience within the proposed action.

Donor:

European Union

Main Objective:

To strengthen the capacities of the media and NGOs on quality, professional, investigative and fact-checked reporting on democracy, good governance, human rights and European integration topics, and expose disinformation and biased reporting.

Specific Objectives:

– Strengthening freedom of expression and the capacities of independent media to produce qualitative investigative journalism and qualitative programmes; 

– Raising awareness in the media on the implementation of media laws related to Freedom of Information, defamation, whistleblowing, cyber-security, crises/hostile environment reporting, copyright and others;

– Assisting capacity building and qualitative and impartial investigative journalism of the media in Kosovo through workshops, trainings, sub-granting and fellowship programmes; 

– Promoting media literacy, fundamental human rights and European integration through capacity building and investigative reporting.

Main activities:

Activity 1: Produce and broadcast 30 in-depth investigative reports, 4 TV debates, 40 articles, 10 solutions journalism stories, and 2 documentaries that will tackle a wide range of public interest issues such as rule of law, the justice sector, mismanagement of public funds, local governance, labour law enforcement, organised crime, migration, trafficking, education, health, women and minority rights, disability and the European agenda, etc.

Activity 2: Organise 9 workshops, 3 training sessions and a 5-day camp for at least 200 journalists and students of journalism to equip them with professional journalism tools and knowledge and share experiences on important current topics such as media ownership, media financing, women’s presence in the media, media regulations, ethics, gender-sensitive reporting, disability and LGBTQI+ issues, and legally safe and crisis/hostile environment reporting.

Activity 3: Organise the “Kosovo Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence” by awarding EUR 2,000.00 each to 20 investigative journalists to write in-depth investigative stories related to important topics.

Activity 4: Sub-granting programme for national and local media in Kosovo to provide financial support for about 10 media organisations and outlets chosen through an open call for proposals, with a comprehensive range of topics, including those prioritised in the European Reform Agenda (ERA) Strategy.

Target groups:

  • Media organisations
  • Outlets and journalists working in Albanian, Serbian, Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian or any other minority language, both in public and private media organisations
  • Students in the final year at public or private universities in Kosovo from the media, journalism, and/or production departments and young journalists working in media organisations and/or outlets; 
  • Media regulatory bodies – IMC, PCK and AJK.

Main implementor:

BIRN Kosovo

Partners:

TV Mreža, Press Council of Kosovo

BIRN Journalists Win Two Prestigious Awards For Investigative Journalism

The first prize for the Dejan Anastasijevic Award, named after the late highly respected Serbian journalist, in investigative journalism was handed to Aleksa Tesic for the series on the wiretapping of Serbian activists. The third prize was won by Sasa Dragojlo and Avi Scharf for their series on Serbia’s arms exports to Israel.

Aleksa Tesic, a BIRN Serbia journalist, received the prestigious first Dejan Anastasijevic Award for investigative journalism, which was awarded on May 8 by the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia (NUNS). 

The award was given to him for the series of articles “Silent Spying: How Serbian Intelligence Hacks Activists’ Phones – Without Them Knowing”, in which it was revealed Serbia’s Security Information Agency (BIA) used the Israeli technology Cellebrite to unlock the phones of activists it interrogated. Some phones were infected with NoviSpy, a spyware developed in Serbia. The research used the findings of a digital forensic analysis conducted by Amnesty International.

“For me, this award is an incentive to continue doing investigative journalism,” said Tesic. “This story revealed the core of espionage in Serbia, which started with the appearance of mobile phones and their mass usage in our country, from the purchase of spyware as early as 2012. 

“Today, our whole lives are on the phone. The phone knows more about us than our parents, our closest people. The police, the government, and the secret services want to discover our deepest secrets. It is one of the biggest topics currently in the digital space, it should be the focus of investigative journalists,” said Tesic. 

“We will continue to work on this topic. This is not the end, there is still a lot to say. Thank you to Amnesty International, the partners in the project, and the newsroom for their absolute support. I would also like to thank the editor, Milorad Ivanovic, who made all this possible, with whom I worked on this story. We don’t stop here, our appetites are big. Competitiveness is healthy in the journalistic world because it brings better stories.”

The jury described Tesic’s story as “terrifying and complete in equal measure”. It continued: “A society that can produce such stories and such journalists cannot be without hope for the future. Ironically, it is a story about those who try to extinguish that hope.” 

The jury consisted of BIRN founder and investigative editor Gordana Igric, investigative reporter and founder of CINS, Branko Cecen, Radio Free Europe investigative editor Mirjana Jevtovic, and reporter, editor and trainer Sasa Lekovic.

The second prize and audience award went to KRIK newsroom journalists Stevan Dojcinovic and Bojana Jovanovic for their research “Sky messages: Struggle in Novi Sad’s SNS over money and affection of Andrej Vucic“.

Balkan Insight/BIRN Serbia journalists Sasa Dragojlo and Avi Scharf were awarded the third prize for their series of articles “Regardless of War Crimes Claims, Serbia’s Arms Sales to Israel Soar.”

“I am so glad that this story was awarded, because I think it is, or should be a number one topic globally,” said Dragojlo. “The Serbian ruling regime has increased its ammunition export to Israel by 30 times, in a year marked by one of the most horrific and cynical crimes in Gaza – crimes that have been ignored or even supported by the most powerful Western countries that often label themselves as bastions of humanism. 

“I am also happy because of the collaboration with Haaretz, a media outlet that faces pressures in Israel, as well as BIRN in Serbia. We showed that there are no taboo topics for us and that professional journalism is always at the forefront of the fight for truth and justice, no matter the obstacles.”

Special awards for investigative stories about the Novi Sad train station disaster, and for local journalists

Special awards this year were awarded to Nova Ekonomija journalists Filip Rudic and Aleksandra Nenadovic, and Forbes Srbija journalist Ivan Radak. The jury considered they deserved special recognition because of the subject of their reports.

“The fascinating speed with which they mastered a very complex – but also the most important – topic in Serbia did not affect their high standards in their continuous discovery of key facts about what we were all feverishly interested in – the reconstruction of the railway station in Novi Sad and its tragic collapse,” the jury said. “In short, they showed why there can be neither democracy nor justice without free and professional media.”

As a sign of support for local journalists who work in particularly demanding conditions, NUNS awarded Juzne Vesti journalist Tamara Radovanovic for the report: “Millions for two companies in the last 4 years of the SNS government in Nis“. In its explanation, the jury pointed out that the report was used as evidence by investigators in the indictment against the recent mayor of Nis, Dragana Sotirovski.

For 20 years, the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia has been giving awards for investigations on key topics for citizens, which reveal previously unknown facts using journalistic expertise. This year, there were 51 applications, and 14 were shortlisted. Among the shortlisted were two more BIRN stories: “Changes in public transportation: Private individuals close to Zvonko Veselinovic are preparing to take over the job in Belgrade” by Jelena Zoric and Gordana Andric, and “Parallel Government: How Vucic Turned Serbia’s Constitution on its Head” by Sasa Dragojlo.

Meet the People Behind BIRN: Aida Tinjak

Aida Tinjak is the Grants and Project Coordinator at the BIRN Hub.

Her professional path has taken her from art history and pedagogy through working with several non-governmental organisations, cultural and creative industries projects, and strengthening local self-government to her current position in the BIRN Hub. So, how did she manage all these positions?

Let’s meet her!

Aida’s academic background in Art History and Pedagogy from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo, shaped the foundation of her interest in how culture, memory, and narrative intertwine. She worked as a curator at Gallery 11/07/95, a memorial gallery dedicated to the memory of the Srebrenica genocide.

“It was there that I encountered the power of war photography through permanent and temporary exhibitions by renowned photojournalists such as Ron Haviv, Narciso Contreras, and Paul Lowe, whose work has shaped how the world sees and remembers the war. These exhibitions were not merely artistic displays—they were testimonies. They revealed to me how photojournalism, particularly war photography, operates at the intersection of art, truth, and justice. On one hand, such images preserve historical facts; on the other, they restore voice and presence to those who were silenced”, Aida explains.

This experience profoundly influenced her understanding of journalism as an active force in memory-making and truth-telling. After her time at the gallery, she worked with several non-governmental organisations on projects related to cultural and creative industries and the empowerment of local communities.

“At the same time, I tried my hand at journalism, exploring one of its many forms. However, I soon (and perhaps just in time) discovered that what resonates more deeply with me is supporting and empowering journalists—those who seek to deepen their knowledge, expand their skills, and explore new tools. I began writing articles focused on practical techniques and digital tools that journalists can use in their everyday work. The aim was not only to share useful resources, but to contribute, however modestly, to raising the overall quality of media content and building the competencies that a resilient, responsible journalism requires”, says Tinjak.

Joining BIRN felt like a natural progression for her. It allowed Aida to continue engaging with narratives that matter, with investigative journalism’s added urgency and responsibility:

“I believe that journalism and art are united by a shared impulse—to communicate, to preserve memory, and to question the world around us. Both serve as powerful tools for challenging oppressive systems and amplifying silenced voices, pushing boundaries and standing as unwavering beacons of truth in a world that often seeks to suppress them.” 

When she joined BIRN Hub as a Project/Programme Assistant in 2021, she expected hard work, persistence, and the need to grow into the responsibilities ahead.

”And that’s exactly what awaited me. The road wasn’t without its challenges, but each experience has left valuable lessons that have shaped my professional path. What I hadn’t dared to expect was the depth of connection within the team. It’s the people who make me proud to be part of BIRN—their trust, support, and understanding make every challenge easier and every success more meaningful”, explains Aida.

Now, as a Grants and Project Coordinator at BIRN Hub, her work revolves around coordinating and implementing project activities, and overseeing and managing the grant-making process. In practice, that means a great deal of communication, mostly with journalists who are grant recipients, and quite a bit of administration.

“What makes the role truly rewarding is the opportunity to connect and collaborate with journalists from different countries (even if mostly online), to read their story proposals, and to hear fresh, often powerful ideas. It makes me happy to be, even in a small way, part of the journey that leads to the production of those stories. The job requires solid organisational skills, which I’ve come to value more and more over time. I believe that when things are well structured from the start, it’s easier to navigate the unexpected. While plans sometimes shift and circumstances change, having a reliable structure in place helps me adapt and keep things moving”, says Aida.

One of the BIRN programmes Aida works on is the Fellowship of Journalistic Excellence, which covers a region spanning 14 countries, from Poland and the Czech Republic to Greece and Romania. It has been running since 2007, and more than 150 leading regional journalists have participated. The ERSTE Foundation co-funded it.

“The programme begins with a kick-off seminar in Vienna, where selected fellows from across the region meet, exchange ideas, and begin shaping their stories under the guidance of an editor. This is followed by a months-long process of research, reporting, writing, and revising, resulting in some truly exceptional stories. Many of these stories have been recognised with prestigious awards, which serve as a testament to the programme’s ability to nurture high-quality journalism in the region.

What truly stands out is that the programme doesn’t end once the story is published. Fellows who complete the programme join an expanding alumni network that offers a wealth of opportunities for collaboration, networking, and knowledge-sharing. This network plays a key role in enhancing professional growth and strengthening cross-border journalistic ties”, explains Tinjak.

BIRN is currently working on enhancing the programme’s website, which will feature some new additions, such as an alumni directory—a dynamic database where fellows can connect and showcase their professional biographies. In addition, BIRN will launch a Fellowship podcast series, designed to promote the programme’s brand and delve into the significance of long-form journalism.

Reporting Democracy is another BIRN project Aida works on, and is also supported by the ERSTE Foundation. It is focused on leveraging independent journalism to critically examine the issues shaping the future of democracy in Central, Eastern, and Southeast Europe. It has a network of regional correspondents and publishes a bi-weekly review of key democratic developments — the Twice podcast (Two Weeks in Central Europe).

“Reporting Democracy supports journalists in a variety of ways, including accepting pitches on a rolling basis, commissioning stories, and offering grants. These grants include those provided through the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence, as well as the Travel and Reporting Programme, which funds journalists from the Visegrad region (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia) to carry out field research and report on Balkan-related stories. In addition, we periodically offer grants for journalists from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, along with Fellowship Alumni grants available to members of the Fellowship alumni network”, said Tinjak.

In the end, we’re returning to the beginning of our story. Art history and museums’ educational functions remain Aida’s passions, but have evolved over time, although their essence remains unchanged:

“I see it as a continuous thread—quietly reminding me that there is always more to explore and uncover, and that growth often lies just beyond the familiar boundaries. I believe that a diversity of experiences and knowledge is what shapes and strengthens us, preparing us for whatever lies ahead.”

She also continued with her education, becoming a Certified New Media Designer a few years ago. Recently, she’s been revisiting that field, refreshing what she’s learned. After the work is done, Aida has her favourite activities during her spare time:

“I enjoy spending my free time with family and friends—whether that means hiking, catching a live gig, seeing a play, taking a shot at a pub quiz (with more enthusiasm than correct answers ☺ ), or simply going for a walk (and pretending it counts as exercise ☺ ). At other times, it’s about embracing stillness—giving myself and my thoughts the space to pause, regroup, and recharge for whatever comes next.”

BIRN Macedonia Holds Fourth Training Session for Young Journalists

Eleven young journalists took part in BIRN Macedonia’s latest investigative journalism training session in April.

The three days of training, the fourth session in BIRN’s year-long investigative journalism programme, were held between April 25 and 27 in Mavrovo, North Macedonia.  

Journalists participated in building on the skills they have developed over the past several months, with teaching focused on strengthening their investigative and research skills and helping them pitch new, original investigative story ideas.

The training began with sessions on how to assess the scope of a story and identify strong starting points for investigation. This helped them map out the first steps in investigating a topic, how to ask the right questions, and identify the resources they would need.

On the second day, participants pitched their story ideas and received feedback from BIRN mentors and peers. The training then moved into exploring how to research different subject areas: such people, companies, and foreign entities. These sessions provided specific tools for gathering and verifying information from public records, open-source platforms, and social media, as well as ethical considerations when dealing with sensitive sources.

The final day was dedicated to learning how to use geolocation tools and online techniques to verify the exact location of an object. Through practical exercises, they worked on verifying locations with limited information, strengthening their observational skills and ability to analyse visual clues in the context of investigative reporting. The training concluded with a discussion on communication with sources, where the group exchanged methods and ethical best practices for approaching, interviewing, and protecting sources.

In the next month the young journalists will have the opportunity to pitch ideas for an investigative story. The best proposal will be developed with mentorship support from BIRN Macedonia journalist team. The summer training session, expected in June, will be the final event of the investigative journalism program. 

Request for Quotes for Digital Rights Policy Papers Development

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is seeking highly skilled experts to contribute to the Reporting Digital Rights and Freedoms project and to develop Policy Papers that will outline regulatory and policy paths to prevent digital rights violations, focusing on countries from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) and Turkey.

We specifically welcome applications from Turkey to explore the particular dynamic and evolving context in terms of digital rights and freedoms. Current policy and legislative framework in this field in the region is underdeveloped and/or obsolete. It fails to address existing challenges, let alone anticipate changes driven by the fast-changing world of technology. The aim is to identify existing regional policies that do not meet international standards and require significant changes, as well as highlight missing policies that need to be developed. These papers should offer structured, multi-sectoral approaches to identifying needs and opportunities for policy change and propose recommendations to prevent violations of digital rights.

Role Overview

BIRN is seeking proposals from qualified individuals or groups of individuals to develop a comprehensive policy paper on digital rights. The selected experts will be responsible for proposing relevant topics for the paper, conducting thorough analyses, engaging with stakeholders, and developing the policy paper. Their work will focus on providing recommendations to enhance digital rights governance, address policy gaps, and align policies with international standards.

This role requires a multi-sectoral approach, which will contribute to a deeper understanding of the needs of all stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including journalists, researchers, activists, academics, industry players, vulnerable groups as well as decision makers. Furthermore, the selected experts will work closely with the BIRN team to incorporate insights from previous findings and monitoring cases into their work.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

  • Conduct Desk Research: The expert will conduct desk research on digital rights issues, regional policies and the legislative framework relevant to the proposed theme. This includes reviews of existing regional and international frameworks related to digital rights and analysis of different regional case studies. The expert will analyse gaps, identify weaknesses and challenges within the current landscape, offering in-depth analysis to support further advancements in this field.
  • Conduct Interviews with Relevant Stakeholders: The expert will engage with all relevant stakeholders to gather necessary insights, which will serve to address the identified needs based on the feedback received and to incorporate them into the paper.
  • Develop the Policy Paper: The expert will develop the policy paper, ensuring it is structured, evidence-based and clearly understandable for all stakeholders. It is essential that the policy paper includes realistic and feasible recommendations, such as proposing specific amendments, new policies or legislative frameworks that can enhance digital rights protections to prevent digital rights violations in the region. Additionally, the policy paper must be grounded in international human rights standards, while being tailored to the specific context of the region.

Timeline

Work on this assignment shall start in June 2025.

Remuneration

The compensation for each Policy Paper may reach a maximum of 1,000 EUR.

Eligibility Criteria and Offer Evaluations

Applicants should have a proven experience in digital rights research, policy analysis, as well as strong understanding of digital rights. Also, applicants should demonstrate ability to produce high-quality policy papers or similar reports.

Selection Criteria:

Selection Criteria Points
Work Experience: proven experience in digital rights research and/or policy research with strong understanding of digital rights concepts 40 points
Proposed topic: relevance, clarity and feasibility of the proposed topic, demonstrating originality 40 points
Cost: Reasonable and lowest pricing in relation to the proposed Scope of Work 20 points

Offer Submission

To submit the offer, you must sign and complete Annex I – Procurement Form, Content Offer, Financial Form and Annex 2 – Declaration for Responsible Procurement. The Request for Quotes, along with the Annexes, can be downloaded here.

The complete offer with both Annexes filled and your CV must be returned to [email protected] by June 15, 2025 at 23:59 CET with the subject line: RfQ: Digital Rights Policy Paper Development.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Tijana Dupanovic

Tijana joined BIRN Hub in August 2024. She is based in BIRN Hub’s Sarajevo office and provides support to the Social Media Team.

Her main responsibilities include production of digital and social media content, developing new digital products and boosting the presence of BIRN Hub and its websites, on a number of digital platforms.

Before joining BIRN, Tijana worked in the NGO and marketing sectors, and has extensive experience in communications, project coordination, content creation and social media management.

Tijana holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to her formal education, she continues to build her skills in digital marketing, communications, and social impact work.

Besides Bosnian, she is fluent in English.

Megi Reçi

Megi joined BIRN Hub in March 2025. Based in Tirana, Albania, she leads BIRN’s research and monitoring efforts on digital rights violations across Southeast Europe, covering Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey.

Prior to joining BIRN, Megi was a Researcher and Program Officer at the Institute for Democracy and Mediation for four years. She authored and contributed to a range of national and regional studies, policy papers, and legal analyses, focusing on governance, anti-corruption, civic space, human and digital rights, and the harmonisation of the EU digital acquis.

Earlier, while working with Civil Rights Defenders, an international human rights advocacy organisation, Megi supported initiatives aimed at protecting human rights defenders and journalists in Albania and the Western Balkans.

Megi holds a Master of Science in Public Law from the University of Tirana, where she also completed a Bachelor of Laws. In addition to her formal education, Megi has completed the Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship at Wake Forest University, and has also received intensive training with a specific focus on human and digital rights.

Along with her native Albanian, she speaks English and Italian.

Regional Camp in Sarajevo Boosts Journalists’ Skills in Crisis Reporting

Journalists from across the Western Balkans participated in a three-day training course on safe reporting, crisis journalism, and digital security.

From April 28 to 30, a regional journalism camp was held in Sarajevo, focusing on legally safe reporting, crisis journalism and digital security. The three-day training brought together 25 journalists from across the Western Balkans, providing them with essential tools to navigate a complex and increasingly hostile media landscape.

Participants engaged in dynamic hands-on training sessions, expert-led panel discussions and interactive risk assessment exercises. The sessions offered practical knowledge in legally safe reporting, coverage of crises such as protests and elections and strategies to defend themselves against digital surveillance and censorship.

The training was led by three international safety experts, Sharbil Nammour, Russ Draycott and Michael Buddle, in collaboration with the ACOS Alliance.

Sessions focused on risk assessment and building real-world resilience, emphasizing both physical preparedness and digital threat mitigation.

“Our approach is very much hands-on,” Draycott said. “This is real-world training. We’re getting delegates out of their seats, onto the floor, and teaching life-saving medical skills. These experiences prepare journalists for the real problems they face today.”

Journalists in the region frequently face defamation in tabloid and social media, alongside challenges in maintaining both digital and personal safety. The camp addressed these risks through a cross-sectoral approach, drawing on expertise from multiple fields. With such training, journalist are better prepared to find interesting and hard-reaching stories.

“Sometimes these stories bring them in to conflict and even danger and what we are trying to do is to make them understand and have tools to mitigate those dangers and threats against them, whether they are personal, security or digital. Medical training is a great life skill and something that will hopefully make them feel better to cope with anything they deal with,” Draycott added.

One of the highlights was the presentation of the new BIRN report, “Surveillance and Censorship in the Western Balkans.”

The findings, presented by Megi Reçi, BIRN’s Digital Rights Research Lead, paint a troubling picture. The report reveals that governments in the region are increasingly leveraging technology to suppress dissent, censor online content, restrict access to digital platforms and carry out both mass and targeted surveillance. Read more about it here.

The camp was a joint initiative of the EU-funded project “Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey II”, the Open Society Foundation-funded project “Surveillance and Censorship in the Western Balkans”, and the Austrian Development Agency funded-project “Paper Trail for Better Governance IV”. It was organised by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN).

The training programme has been developed in partnership with A Culture of Safety (ACOS) Alliance. ACOS works to embed a culture of safety within journalism, advance safety standards, and help journalists and newsrooms implement the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles through their safety training initiatives and resources.