Author: Aleksandra Vrbica

Rexhep Maloku

Rexhep Maloku joined BIRN in July 2024 as a journalist and translator.

With a journalism career starting in 2007 at KOHA Group (Koha Ditore, KTV, koha.net), he worked as a feature journalist, international news translator and editor, and host of the Cosmo show until May 2023. Between 2009–2013, he taught English in Ferizaj schools, and from 2015–2017, he translated news for dialogplus.ch.

He served as Program Manager at INPO in Ferizaj (June–October 2023) and has been a journalist at Tema and a contributor to Kosovo 2.0 since November 2023.

Rexhep holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Prishtina in AAB College, where he is completing a master’s in Public Administration and Diplomacy.

Passionate about international relations and storytelling, he combines journalism and translation to explore global narratives. Known for quoting García Márquez on journalism and literature, he’s equally unwavering in his Arsenal fandom, despite the team’s long title drought.

Iliria Kajdomqaj

Iliria Kajdomqaj joined the BIRN team in October 2023 as a Project Coordinator.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Prishtina and is completing her master’s studies in European Integration and Public Administration at the same institution.

Her experience is closely tied to initiatives and projects in governmental and non-governmental capacities with an emphasis on transitional justice and dealing with the past.

With a unique name, a positive attitude, and full dedication, Iliria has a passion for reading and poetry. A former basketball player and a loyal Arsenal fan for two decades, she is, in other words, both faithful and patient.

Florinda Kelmendi

Florinda completed her studies in “Media and Communication” at the University for Business and Technology, where she dreamed about becoming a journalist.

In July 2023, she began as an intern at BIRN and soon after became a                junior journalist.

Her focus lies in local governance in the municipalities of the North and South, monitoring court sessions, and reporting on other sectors related to the Mitrovica region.

Florinda has participated in journalism training programs, including KALLXO Rinia and the School for Investigative Journalism – Çohu.

She is known for her positive personality and persistence in obtaining answers.

Arbrita Uka

Arbrita Uka began her career as a journalist at BIRN in March 2023.

She is studying Physics and is passionate about Astronomy. Her curiosity and drive for research led her to pursue journalism. Previously, she was engaged in volunteer work and led youth groups in Kosovo.

In March 2022, she represented Kosovo at the Youth Congress for Environmental Education in Prague. Known for her honesty and attention to detail, she firmly believes that humanity has landed on the Moon and that the Earth is not flat. She enjoys stargazing, either with the naked eye or through a telescope, and is a devoted fan of the football team Liverpool.

Agron Halitaj

Agron Halitaj has worked in journalism for over 20 years. He joined the BIRN team on February 1, 2024.

Throughout his career, he has worked as a political journalist and has held senior editorial positions in several media outlets in Kosovo. He is an opinion writer and an award-winning journalist. He defines the role of journalists in society with Frans Timmermans’ saying: “If journalists fall silent, our freedom is lost.”

Selma Melez

Selma joined Detektor (BIRN BiH) team in November 2024 as a journalist and court monitor.

She has a Master’s degree in Communication Studies from the Faculty of Political Science in Sarajevo, during which she also spent some time on a student exchange program in Germany.

Selma began her journalism career in 2020 on Hayat TV as a journalist and reporter. She is one of the authors of the documentary film Golden Lilies.

During her studies, she worked on various projects and campaigns advocating for people with disabilities at the humanitarian and development NGO “People In Need” in the Czech Republic.

She has won journalism awards for topics such as “The Role of Media and Media Reporting in Peacebuilding” and for the best socially responsible story in the “Media Incubator” project in collaboration with the Goethe Institute, focusing on the economic empowerment of people with disabilities, caled “I can’t try if you don’t give me a chance”.

She is one of the authors of the story “Hands That Read”. In 2023, she won an award for the best journalistic story on Bosnia’s EU accession process, awarded by the Directorate for European Integration.

Her journalistic work is dedicated to reporting on human rights, especially people with disabilities and children, as well as war crimes in Bosnia and cybersecurity-related topics.

Mirza Halilcevic

Mirza Halilcevic joined the BIRN BiH team in June 2024 as Project Manager.

In the last 10 years, he has worked in the field of human rights, writing and coordinating projects and reporting for several media outlets on the position of minorities in Bosnia, with a focus on LGBTIQA rights.

He has also gained experience in advocacy, fundraising, coordinating PR campaigns and event production.

He is a collaborator with several local and international organisations in Bosnia.

He completed his Bachelor and Master’s studies at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo at the Department of Sociology.

At BIRN BiH, he manages projects in the field of rule of law, digital rights and transitional justice, as well as projects related to the strategic development of the BIRN BiH office.

Meet the People Behind BIRN: Ivana Pavlovic

Ivana joined BIRN in January 2024. She is responsible for the management, coordination and oversight of BIRN’s business operations, focusing on for-profit projects and activities implemented through BIRN Ltd, whose revenue feeds the campaigning needs of BIRN Hub.

Her professional path has been very interesting: from gaining a BA degree in journalism and an MA in Economic Analysis and Politics to working as an economic journalist, a deputy general manager at Business Info Group, publisher of the business news outlet Nova ekonomija, among other things, and now Head of Strategic Planning at BIRN Ltd.

Let’s meet her!

1. You graduated from the Department of Journalism and Communicology at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade. After that, you were awarded an MA in Economic Analysis and Politics at the Faculty of Economics. What attracted you to this economic aspect?

Money makes the world go round. Once you understand where the money flows and where it comes from, it’s easier to grasp how processes in society work.

Economic journalism is challenging because you often need to break down complex and sometimes boring topics, and make them interesting and easy to understand for everyone, both regular readers and fellow journalists. To do that well, you need to keep learning and stay up to date.

That said, covering economic topics is also a privilege. I’ve had the chance to meet people whose business ideas are changing the world, who are not only feeding their own families but providing for hundreds of others. These are the people whose decisions can shape your future, your community, and even the world.

That said, I’m not here to back big corporations or wealthy capital owners. I believe in business models that give workers both responsibilities and rights. Workers should have a chance to use their creativity, ideas and knowledge to make new products and earn more and also have more time for their personal lives. I support an egalitarian-liberal approach where the state and companies support vulnerable groups – those who are sick, disabled, or unable to work fully due to life’s circumstances.

2. Can you explain what BIRN Ltd is?

BIRN Ltd is the commercial side of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN). It was founded in 2007 to develop and manage commercial products that support BIRN’s editorial and campaigning work, like the Balkan Insight news portal.

BIRN Ltd handles the paid services that Balkan Insight offers, which fall into two main areas. First, there’s the editorial content, which includes analysis, commentary, interviews, and profiles on the latest political and business developments in the region. Then there’s the consultancy side, where our analysts track and analyze political, economic, security, social and human rights issues in the region, including the influence of foreign powers. One of our key consultancy products is the Western Balkans Stability Monitor, which has been running since December 2018.

3. Who are the users and subscribers to these paid services and consultancy products?

Our subscribers are all personally or professionally connected to the Balkans – students, diplomats, the donor community, the corporate sector, top universities around the world, and more.

BIRN Consultancy offers analysis, advice, and corporate investigation services with a focus on the Balkans.

We give our clients detailed insights into political, security and economic developments across the region, whether for the whole of the Balkans or specific countries. Everything is customized to their needs. With a network of analysts embedded throughout the region, we’re always plugged into the latest information at its source. This means we don’t just explain what’s happening; we also help our clients understand the risks and opportunities ahead.

4. What are your favourite – and least favourite – parts of being Head of Strategic Planning at BIRN Ltd?

One of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to ensure the long-term sustainability of our organisation and to invest more in journalism. Every day brings new uncertainties, especially with things like the rise of “foreign agent” laws across Europe. Authoritarian governments use these to discredit independent media; they’re a real threat to democracy, media freedom and civil society.

On the flip side, it’s a privilege to promote and support top-notch investigative and analytical journalism in the Balkans. Just mentioning BIRN is enough to make people stand up and recognise its importance. If you want to learn more about the Balkans, BIRN is the first choice for anyone, no matter where they are in the world.

5. What are the plans for BIRN Ltd?

The premium service we offer is helping us make Balkan Insight more sustainable. But we’re not stopping there, we want to keep growing. We plan to expand our consultancy offerings, improve our subscription system and grow our reader base. We also want to introduce more consultancy products to better meet the needs of our clients all over the world and provide a stable income for our work.

BIRN Montenegro Urges Tighter Control of Public Officials’ Crypto Assets

On December 30, BIRN Montenegro urged the country’s Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) to enhance oversight of public officials’ ownership of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.

In a formal initiative addressed to the Agency’s Council and its interim director, Dušan Drakić, BIRN Montenegro raised concerns about the lack of available information on the value of digital assets in public officials’ asset declarations.

“Given the increasing popularity of cryptocurrencies among public officials and their potential as an effective mechanism to conceal assets, we call on the Agency’s Council to organise a thematic session with Agency staff and other stakeholders as soon as possible. The aim is to improve this area before the deadline for submitting annual reports on the income and assets of public officials,” the initiative stated.

BIRN Montenegro has called for the introduction of a specific section titled “Digital Assets” in officials’ asset declaration forms, requiring them to disclose the type, name, quantity and market value of any cryptocurrencies they own.

The initiative would require officials to provide statements from all digital wallets they hold and stipulate proceedings against officials who fail to report digital assets, as mandated by the Law on Prevention of Corruption.

BIRN Montenegro called on the Agency to publish detailed reports on the types, quantities and values of digital assets owned by public officials after the completion of these procedures.

BIRN Montenegro’s analysis of the asset declarations of six public officials revealed that only Deputy Prime Minister Niko Gjeloshaj provided precise information about the value of his assets.

Prime Minister Milojko Spajic, Minister of Spatial Planning, Urbanism, and State Assets Slaven Radunovic, Minister of Mining, Oil, and Gas Admir Sahmanovic, and the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Branko Krvavac, failed to specify the types or quantities of cryptocurrencies they own.

Opposition MP Illir Capuni disclosed the type of cryptocurrency he owns but not its quantity.

BIRN Montenegro emphasized the need for reforms to ensure transparency and accountability in the declaration of digital assets, to prevent the misuse of cryptocurrencies by public officials to conceal their assets.

BIRN Macedonia Presents Findings on Digital Rights Violations

On December 23, BIRN Macedonia’s team met with experts and government representatives to discuss digital rights in the country.

At the consultative meeting, BIRN’s senior journalist, Goce Trpkovski, presented recommendations based on findings from a two-year monitoring period.

Trpkovski showcased the most significant violations of digital rights and the patterns that have emerged, noting that BIRN recorded 501 violations from 2022 until the end of 2024, including hate speech, crypto currency scams and misuse of AI to create fake sexual content of girls.

Trpkovski presented BIRN’s recommendations for improving the digital rights situation in three categories: urgent, medium-term and long-term recommendations.

BIRN received feedback from a number of experts from the non-governmental sector, including the Research Institute RESIS, Internet Governance Forum, Media Development Center, Helsinki Committee of Human Rights, Metamorphosis foundation, as well as from the Personal Data Protection Agency, the sector for cybercrime within the police.