Aleksandra Vrbica, Author at BIRN

Global Investigative Journalism Network

PARTNER
The Global Investigative Journalism Network serves as the international hub for the world’s investigative reporters. From its founding in 2003, GIJN has grown to include 250 member groups in 91 countries. Today, with a staff based in over 20 countries, GIJN works in a dozen languages to link together the world’s most enterprising journalists, giving them the tools, technology, and training to go after abuses of power and lack of accountability.

Web: https://gijn.org/

Indira Cular

Indira joined BIRN Hub in October 2023 as a Finance Officer. She is based in BIRN Hub’s Sarajevo office.

Her main responsibilities include providing support for financial and administrative tasks and duties for finance, operations and programme department.

She graduated at the University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Economics. Indira has over 15 years of experience in NGOs and media.

Meet the People Behind BIRN: Behar Mustafa

Behar Mustafa is a court monitor, researcher and journalist for the TV programme Justice in Kosovo.

Before joining BIRN in 2014, he worked in various NGOs and media outlets, including the daily newspaper Koha Ditore, where he served as Vushtrri correspondent, and at Kosova Channel in Mitrovica. Although he has a degree in law, he decided to work as a journalist.

Let’s find out why and let’s meet him!

You graduated in law but work as a journalist. What made you decide to pursue that career?

I started in journalism working as a court monitor and journalist/ correspondent from Mitrovica. Before journalism, I was part of civil society, mainly engaged with youth and women empowerment. I studied Law and this helped me to work in an organisation such as BIRN because of the scope of interest it has in the field of justice. It has been 10 years since I started with BIRN.

What’s it like working in Kosovo as a court monitor and researcher? What is most challenging for you?

Nowadays, it is easier to do the job than when I started a decade ago. Initially, from 2014 to 2015, I worked in Mitrovica, covering mostly trials that were carried out by Mitrovica court, and at that time it was very difficult to get there because the court is located in the northern part of the town and we needed to find ways to go there. It was also very difficult to organise your day as a court monitor because in North Mitrovica the court has only courtrooms; all the staff, including prosecutors, were based in another town, in Vushtrri, some 15 kilometers from Mitrovica. There were cases when we went to Mitrovica to attend a trial, but during the day, we had to go to Vushtrri for any request that our job required us to do.

Last year, you received the ‘Best TV Story of the Year’ award from the Association of Journalists of Kosovo for your ‘Brezovica Dossier’ investigation. Tell us more about it.

Last year our team was awarded “Best TV Story of the Year” by the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, AJK. This was a special moment because my colleagues and I got an award for a story we had been patiently working on for almost three years.

“Brezovica Dossier” aired in September 2023. This investigation was done through a series of publications that show how politicians, businesspeople, and other powerful figures in Kosovo are suspected of bribery related to the construction of villas without any criteria in a picturesque tourist site in Kosovo, which has caused huge environmental damage to the beauty of the mountains in this resort. The prize becomes even more special because prosecutors who investigated the case used our findings as well grounded for their work.

What story/stories that you worked on made you incredibly proud (please insert the link to that story/stories)?

I am mostly proud of my stories from the north, which disclosed cases of smuggling, which resulted in many arrests, but also stories related to tenders given by institutions and the way they have been granted to people and businesses close to the authorities.

What makes a good journalist?

Working always for the truth, seeking and finding the truth, even when it looks difficult and, in some cases, impossible. It is very important to take time analysing the facts in front of you and not to publish anything you are not certain presents the whole truth of the story. We are reporting for the public, and public trust is something sacred in our job, something that makes you a good journalist. Once you misuse that trust, you are done for in this job.

What should any journalist not agree to, especially the young?

Not to accept to report on anything you don’t have enough facts about – and avoid political, religious or ethnic bias.

Millions Spent on Public Competitions Poorly Controlled, BIRN Serbia Report Reveals

Serbia spent millions of euros on thousands of projects with little control over spending, no evaluation of projects’ impacts and no oversight if projects were implemented as agreed, a new report by BIRN Serbia shows.

Serbia’s state institutions and local governments distributed around 6.5 billion dinars [€55 million] to finance 13,407 projects carried out by 7,788 civil society organisations, companies and associations in 2023.

The data are published in BIRN Serbia’s new annual report “Publicly about Public Competitions” that highlights some of the key issues and shortcomings of state project financing processes.

“State funds are one of the main sources of financing for civil society, and many [organisations] are financed with small sums of money. What we recognise as systematic problem is the lack of evaluation – we almost never see reports on how the money was spent and whether it was spent as intended,” said Tanja Maksic, program coordinator of BIRN Serbia.

This is the fifth year in which BIRN Serbia and Gradjanske inicijative (Civic Initiatives), together with a team of 16 researchers from local civil society organizations, have been monitoring the spending of state funds on projects in four fields – media, civil society, culture and youth.

The report is based on data collected in a database that provides insight into state spending on projects in these four sectors between 2019 and 2023. This is currently the largest public database of this type.

In procedural terms, the report says, the biggest problems are: the lack of evaluation of projects’ accomplishments; lack of audits of narrative and financial reports; non-standardised decisions on allocation of funds; an inadequate appeals mechanism that cannot prevent abuses; and non-transparent work of committees that decide on the allocation of money.

Zarko Stepanovic, from the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, said an analysis and amendment of the regulations on public financing of CSO projects is expected in 2024 and 2025. “This process should be completed by the end of 2025,” said Stepanovic, adding that he expects that many shortcomings will be addressed and amended with new regulations.

BIRN’s research into 396 organisations that received more than one million dinars from state ministries revealed that a third of them are so-called phantom organisations, meaning that almost no information can be found about them or their projects. The same research showed that 27 organisations meet one or more criteria for qualifying them as „governmental non-governmental organizations” (GONGOs).

These GONGOs have ties to the ruling parties and government or support their agenda through their actions.

The financing of phantom organisations and GONGOs, a trend BIRN has been following for years, endangers the financial sustainability of legitimate organisations that are active in their communities and provide real services to citizens, often members of some of the most vulnerable groups, the report says.

Ministries, provincial secretariats and local governments are obliged to finance projects through public calls, in order to help local civic society or companies to implement tasks and activities in public interest that the state cannot implement on its own.

In addition to the media, civil society, culture, and youth, the state also finances many other fields, such as education or sports. There are no centralised data on the total amount that Serbia distributes annually through public calls.

Western Balkan Journalists trained for Engaging Citizens in Their Reporting

Eighteen journalists from eight different media outlets underwent training to learn innovative methods to engage women, youth and underrepresented demographics, including audiences aged 65 and older, in the creation of high-quality content.

As part of the Western Balkans Media for Change project a Learning Circle titled “Building Foundations for Engaging Citizens in Reporting” for media outlets from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro was organized.

Over the course of March 21 and 22, 18 journalists strengthened their understanding of community dynamics, engaging journalism principles, and the development of investigative stories based on community involvement.

On the first day, journalists received insights into editorial strategies and audience involvement best practices from facilitators such as Dzana Brkanic, Deputy Editor at BIRN BiH; Aleksandra Bogdani, Editor at BIRN Albania; Katarina Zrinjski from BIRN BiH; and Besar Likmeta, Editor-in-chief at BIRN Albania.

They shared experiences in implementing various approaches and methodologies to produce high-quality, investigative, fact-checked, gender-sensitive, appealing and innovative content.

The focus of the second day was on Engaged Citizens Reporting, ECR, tool, developed through the Media for All project. The tool enables users to crowdsource data and facilitate engagement with the community. Karla Junicic, BIRN’s ECR Coordinator, presented the tool and its potential for engaging audiences in content creation. Additionally, journalists had the opportunity to explore the BIRD Platform, an interactive resource desk designed for journalists seeking to stay updated on technological advancements while upholding ethical and professional standards in journalism.

The Learning Circle forms part of the editorial and mentoring support provided to journalists and media outlets as part of the project. The project provides financial support to media outlets and individual journalists to help them improve operational capacity, business sustainability and innovation potential, while aiming to better equip media professionals to produce more quality diverse, factchecked and gender-sensitive content that will reach and engage with wider audiences.

The Western Balkans Media for Change project is funded by the UK government and implemented by the British Council in partnership with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, Thomson Foundation and The International NGO Training and Research Centre, INTRAC. It supports the work of media outlets and individual journalists from the Western Balkan countries.

BIRN Kosovo Trains Members of the Referral Mechanism on Cybersecurity in Hani i Elezit

On March 21, BIRN Kosovo held a one-day training as part of the activity for organizing support days for members of the referral mechanism in the Municipality of Hani i Elezit.

The training session was specifically tailored to cybersecurity and the security of the internet so the members of the referral mechanism could gain a better understanding of the usage of the internet, its benefits, and its risks.

During the training session, the participants were given a detailed presentation that included the usage of the internet from the early stages of internet development until recent developments with the usage of artificial intelligence. The shared information will help the members to mitigate potential risks associated with internet browsing.

A total of 12 participants, three of them women, gathered for this training which started with an introduction to the basics of the Internet. The training was held by Arian Hyseni, IT Manager and Coordinator of the Technical Staff. Hyseni presented his experience in cybersecurity, including advice on how to effectively use the internet and ensure the safety of internet users.

Throughout the training session, the participants exhibited a notable level of interest, particularly in the topic of two-step verification. The trainer delivered valuable lessons on the significance of implementing two-step verification, with a specific emphasis on securing social media profiles with this feature.

This training was held as part of the “Resilient Community Programme” founded by GCERF.

Call for Applications: BIRN Training for Journalists on Reporting about the Missing Persons in Kosovo

In a landscape marked by monoethnic narratives, the issue of missing persons in Kosovo stands out as a crucial topic that requires immediate attention and response.

As of today, the fate of 1,617 individuals of all ethnic backgrounds remains unknown, a haunting fact that fuels a perpetual sense of loss, fear, and uncertainty among affected families and communities.

This also often includes bias or ethnic-centric reporting from the mainstream media. Therefore, the independent media must shed light on the profound impact this unresolved matter has, particularly on the families of the missing persons, and more broadly, on regional reconciliation.

To address these challenges and contribute to more credible and professional future generations of journalists in Kosovo, BIRN will organize a one-day training module with journalists on April 4, 2024 in Prishtina, Kosovo as part of the project “Uncovering the Truth: Combatting Monoethnic Journalism and Advocating for the Missing Persons in Kosovo” supported by the EU.

These trained professionals will develop a sensitivity to understanding the issues surrounding missing persons from multiple perspectives (such as humanitarian, forensic, right to truth, etc.,) and will spearhead the creation of compelling content based on factual reporting.

The one-day training module will bring together 20 young and mid-career journalists from different communities, who will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and hands-on skills on the matter.

More specifically, the training focuses on the critical issue of reporting on missing persons, encompassing aspects from individual cases to court proceedings, social, political and legal contexts, forensics and medical expert analysis and the challenges faced by affected families. The technical expertise of journalists lies in their ability to research, document, and communicate stories effectively.

The training module will be delivered by BIRN’s regional and local team of award-winning journalists and editors, who have extensive experience in investigating, reporting on, and advocating for such issues.

Who can apply?

Young and mid-career journalists across different regions in Kosovo, who are interested in learning more about reporting on the topic of the missing persons, are eligible to apply for this call. Applicants from marginalized communities in Kosovo, including members of minority ethnic communities and women, that fulfill the above-mentioned criteria are encouraged to apply for this call.

To apply for the one-day training on fact-checking reporting click here.

Language: Simultaneous translation in Albanian, Serbian, and English will be provided.

Location: The training will take place in Prishtina, Kosovo. Details regarding the specific location and agenda will only be provided to selected participants.

Deadline for application: April 1, 2024

Date of the training course: April 4, 2024

BIRN Kosovo Holds Training for Municipal Assembly and Staff on Countering Extremism

On March 19, BIRN Kosovo held a one-day training to present the strategic vision of Kosovo’s National Strategy for Preventing and Countering Terrorism to the Municipality of Kaçanik.

The training addressed Preventing Violent Extremism, P/VE, Rehabilitation and Reintegration, R&R, forms of extremism, and the strategic vision of the strategy on the local level, with an emphasis on the role of the Municipal Assembly and Municipal Staff in countering violent extremism and terrorism.

A total of 13 participants, five of them women, gathered for the training which started with an introduction to the objectives of the National Strategy for Preventing and Countering Terrorism 2023-2028.

The session focusing on countering religious and far-right extremism was presented by Kreshnik Gashi, member of the working group on drafting the National Strategy. Gashi presented his experience in contributing to the finalization of these documents and explained the objectives of the strategy.

During his presentation, the guest speaker, Mensur Hoti, Director of the Department for Public Safety in the Ministry of Interior, emphasized the crucial role of local authorities in meeting the objectives of the strategy. He highlighted the significance of preventing radicalism and violent extremism that may lead to terrorism and led a discussion on the current situation.

During the training session, participants expressed their interest and engagement when it came to discussing the involvement of minor municipalities like Kaçanik in issues related to P/VE, R&R, and other forms of extremism from the central level.

The presentation and subsequent discussions served to enhance their knowledge and awareness on this topic, resulting in a more informed group of individuals by the end of the session.

This training was held as part of the ‘Resilient Community Programme’ founded by GCERF.

BIRN Kosovo Trains Members of the Referral Mechanism in Hani i Elezit on Using Social Media

On March 19, BIRN Kosovo held a one-day training as part of the activity for organizing days of support for members of the referral mechanism in the Municipality of Hani i Elezit.

The training session was specifically tailored to social media, and the participants of the referral mechanism were provided with comprehensive knowledge on the significance of social media. They were given a detailed rundown on how to create and manage profiles on different platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other relevant social media channels.

To ensure the safety and security of all participants, it was crucial to clarify their details such as passwords, public profiles, content sharing and posting, Facebook groups and friends, and social media security. This information, the group heard, will help to prevent any potential risks and ensure their privacy is protected.

A total of 12 participants, three of them women, gathered for this training which started with an introduction to the basics of social media and their usage worldwide and in the Kosovo context. The training was held by Granit Mavriqi, Editor of SocialMedia and Graphic Designer – Internews Kosova. Mavriqi presented his experience as an editor of social media, including many good lessons drawn from his experience of working with different groups of interest.

During the training session, the participants showed significant interest in discussing their experiences with social media platforms, particularly Facebook. They were particularly interested in learning more about social media security, such as how to protect their passwords and how to manage their connections on these platforms.

The informative presentation and subsequent discussions proved a valuable learning experience, enhancing the knowledge and awareness of participants in the topic. As a result, the group emerged from the session better informed and more knowledgeable about the subject.

This training was held as part of the “Resilient Community Programme” founded by GCERF – Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund.

BIRN Kosovo Trains Network’s Journalists in Investigative Skills

BIRN HUB and BIRN Kosovo held a two-day training for journalists from the local BIRN offices to boost their investigative reporting skills.

As part of the ongoing joint project ‘A Paper Trail to Better Governance,’ BIRN HUB and BIRN Kosovo gathered around 20 journalists from the Network offices in Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, for a two-day regional training in investigative reporting.

The training took place in Pristina, Kosovo, on March 19-20.

On day 1, BIRN Albania editor-in-chief Besar Likmeta walked the journalists through the methods of investigative journalism – storytelling, sources and building a narrative around the evidence. Presenting some of the hard-hitting country-based and cross-border investigations produced by BIRN and published on Balkan Insight, Likmeta stressed the importance of team work on complex stories while staying true to the basic journalistic principles and ethics.

“Have people retell the story well and have people talk about details,” Likmeta advised, adding that journalists should spend some time with their sources and interviewees in order to warm them up and get better stories.

The participating journalists also got acquainted with the intersections of technology and journalism with Redon Skikuli and Boris Budini, advocates for digital rights, open access, open knowledge and online privacy, and also co-founders of Open Labs Hackerspace Albania and Cloud 68.

During the sessions, Skikuli and Budini shared tips and tools on how to effectively use the open source intelligence OSINT in journalistic investigations, and guided the journalists through the essentials of the dark and deep web. The trainers also instructed the participants on how to limit their digital footsteps and mitigate big tech in order to protect their work, their privacy and their sources, among other things.

On day 2, the journalists worked side by side with BIRN editors Apostolis Fotiadis, Dusica Tomovic, Jeta Xharra, Vesar Prebreza, Besar Likmeta and Kreshnik Gashi, discussing potential cross-border stories that will be published as part of the ‘Paper Trail to Better Governance’ project, implemented by BIRN HUB and BIRN Kosovo since 2013.