Author: birnEU

BIRN Kosovo Holds Series of Workshops on Strategies to Counter Disinformation

BIRN Kosovo concluded its initiative to work with justice and security institutions on developing pre-debunking and debunking strategies and plans.

During November 2025, BIRN Kosovo organized three tailored workshops designed to raise awareness and strengthen understanding as well as operational capacities of security and justice institutions in countering disinformation. The workshop “Development of Inter-Institutional Capacities for Building Strategies to Counter Disinformation,” brought together representatives from the Prosecution, Courts, Customs, Police, Tax Administration, Local Departments for Security and Emergency as well as Ministries of Internal Affairs, Defence and Local Government Administration, facilitating dialogue and collaboration among institutions that play a crucial role in safeguarding public trust and security.

Workshops opened with a discussion on participants’ expectations and institutional experiences, setting the stage for a shared understanding of current challenges. This was followed by an introductory session on information disorders, presented by Kreshnik Gashi, Editor in Chief at Kallxo. Mr. Gashi highlighted the need for a forward-looking approach toward today’s challenges in the information space and discussed most effective experiences in addressing and preventing disinformation.

Further sessions delivered by Visar Prebreza, Editor at Krypometër and Granit Mavriqi, Social Media Manager at Kallxo, discussed the influence of media financing, transparency, and digital security on the spread of disinformation. Mr. Prebreza, while showcasing real life examples of information disorders related to security and justice institutions, emphasized the need to understand disinformation as a coordinated approach that seeks to undermine trust in institutions.  Mr. Mavriqi provided participants with practical tools and techniques to enhance their digital safety and best practices for institutions to communicate through social media.

Participants were additionally introduced to the effects of algorithms and practical monitoring methodologies through sessions led by Norik Selimi and Meriton Nagavci from Pikasa Analytics, who presented the latest trends in online media monitoring as well as examples of institutions performance online.

Blerton Abazi, University Professor, discussed the interplay of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and coordinated disinformation campaigns, illustrating how evolving technologies are reshaping the information space. Arton Hajdari, Financial Forensics Expert, delivered a session focusing on the legal framework and available tools for tracing financial flows and identifying the beneficial owners of businesses and media outlets. It also highlighted the role of the Financial Intelligence Unit and outlined practical analysis strategies for suspicious cases. In addition, one interactive session was held with Miroslav Sazdovski from the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats.

Workshops concluded with group discussions facilitated by Kreshnik Gashi and Labinot Leposhtica, Head of the Legal Office and Court Monitoring Coordinator at BIRN, where representatives collaboratively outlined practical steps for developing effective pre-debunking and debunking strategies.

A total of 90 participants, 28 women and 62 men,  took part in the workshops held on 12-13 November, 18-19 November and 25 November. These activities were organised under the framework of the project “Media Integrity and Disinformation Watch”, supported by the British Embassy in Kosovo.

BIRN Kosovo Holds Workshop for local CSOs on terrorism and extremism monitoring

On September 23, 2025, BIRN Kosovo organized a one-day workshop in Prishtina for local civil society organizations (CSOs), aimed at strengthening their capacity to develop monitoring and research projects in the field of terrorism and violent extremism.

The workshop opened with a discussion where representatives of local CSOs shared insights into their current work and areas of interest in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) and Rehabilitation and Reintegration (R&R). This was followed by a presentation from Kreshnik Gashi – Member of the Working Group for the National Strategy and Menaging Editor at Kallxo.com, who examined how different forms of extremism and terrorism have developed in Kosovo over the years, with a particular focus on specific locations.

Labinot Leposhtica, head of BIRN Kosova’s legal office, presented the National Strategy for Preventing and Countering Terrorism 2023–2028, highlighting its Action Plan. The presentation sparked important discussions with participants from municipalities across Kosovo, emphasizing the role of CSOs in implementing and monitoring the strategy at the local level.

The second part of the workshop focused on practical approaches. Kreshnik Gashi guided participants through the process of developing ideas, programs, and projects in P/CVE and R&R and concrete examples were provided on potential subfields where future initiatives could focus, particularly in monitoring the implementation of the national strategy at the municipal level- with an emphasis on prevention initiatives and ideas.

A total of 17 participants attended the one-day workshop, including 7 women.

Throughout the sessions, participants were highly engaged, emphasizing the importance of such workshops in enhancing their knowledge of P/CVE, R&R, and other forms of extremism. They noted that this kind of training serves as a valuable referral mechanism to strengthen their work at the local level.

This workshop was organized within the framework of the Resilient and Inclusive Community Programme, supported by GCERF.

BIRN Shares Regional Insights on Digital Rights at Global Gathering 2025

From September 8-10, BIRN participated in the Global Gathering 2025 in Portugal, one of the most significant global events bringing together key actors working on digital rights and media freedom.

This year’s Global Gathering focused on topics such as the digital security of journalists and civil society, countering online censorship and surveillance, disinformation and internet governance. The event brought together participants from over 144 countries. Through numerous discussions, sessions, and exchanges of experience, it provided space for collectively exploring ways to counter the increasing threats to digital freedoms.

“Participating in the 2025 Global Gathering was a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration and solidarity among civil society, researchers, journalists, and technologists, in the face of growing digital authoritarianism. We had the chance to discuss strategies for building resilience and improving our watchdog work on digital rights violations. This is especially critical now, as civil society and independent media around the world operate under growing pressure, not only from repressive regimes, but also from severe financial constraints. In this context, staying focused, adaptable, and united in our commitment to digital freedoms is not only urgent, but essential.”
– Megi Reci, Digital Rights Research Lead at BIRN

As part of our contribution to the event, BIRN hosted a two-hour booth where we showcased the results of the Digital Rights Programme and shared insights from Southeast Europe. We used the opportunity to raise awareness about key findings related to censorship and surveillance in the Western Balkans, based on research conducted in 2024 and early 2025.

“At the event, we contributed by sharing BIRN’s experience in developing and applying civic monitoring methodologies to document and respond to digital rights violations, particularly in hybrid regimes across South East Europe. We presented findings from our ongoing research into surveillance and censorship practices in the Western Balkans, highlighted the importance of protecting digital rights during elections and political unrest, and addressed the often overlooked collusion between state actors and private tech companies.”
– Megi Reci added.

This participation holds particular significance as BIRN marks 20 years of work in defending media freedom, transparency, and human rights across the region. Reflecting on this milestone, Digital Rights Programme Coordinator Azra Milić noted:

“Over two decades of BIRN’s work, we have witnessed how the nature of repression has shifted – increasingly moving into the digital environment. In response to these changes, BIRN established the Digital Rights Programme, recognising the growing need to protect digital freedoms.”

 

BIRN BiH Director Wins ‘Goran Bubalo’ Peace Award  

BIRN BiH director Dzenis Dzidic receives prestigious award for long-standing contribution to investigative journalism and media freedom.  

The Network for Building Peace has presented the “Goran Bubalo” award for contribution to peace, equality, and justice to Denis Dzidic, director of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BIRN BiH.

The committee for the award, which is named after the prominent peace activist who died in 2020, stated that it was giving the award to Dzidic for his long-standing work in investigative journalism and contribution to media freedom.

“As personal as this award is, my work would not be possible without the people I work with,” Dzidic said during the award ceremony held in Mostar on the occasion of the International Day of Peace.

“It means an incredibly lot to me that the nomination was made by people with whom I work every day,” Dzidic said, also thanking the Network for Building Peace as the award organiser.

When selecting the winners of this peace award, the nominees’ achievements in the year prior to receiving the award are taken into account, along with their ongoing contribution to improving human rights, preserving and building peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Radenko Udovcic, project manager of the Network for Building Peace, said that this recognition was given to people who had made an important contribution in Bosnia through their work.

“They reconciled, connected, offered solutions, and even did something in terms of cultural and political creative activity, like making some theatre plays that filled auditoriums and positively influenced public opinion,” he explained.

Udovcic says that every individual in Bosnia has the opportunity to get this award regardless of which part of the country they come from or their political affiliation, as long as they have done something to connect people.

The award was established in 2013, and was named after Goran Bubalo in 2020, in memory of the late founder and president of the Network for Building Peace.

During the ceremony in Mostar, Dzidic stated that he met Bubalo as a young journalist, when he had just started working on reconciliation and transitional justice topics.

“A few years later, when I was invited to a working group on the media and transitional justice on a project together with him, I talked to him for a long time about what I thought about the challenges of reporting on war crimes. He said: ‘Friend…’ and went on to build my idea. He made it infinitely better. But this was the first time I felt heard while dealing with the topic of my interest,” Dzidic said.

On Saturday, the Network also gave an award for continuous humanitarian work in Bosnia and Herzegovina to Pomozi.ba Association, which was accepted by project manager Midhad Brkan.

“We at Pomozi.ba believe that humanity has no borders, that empathy knows no differences, that small actions can initiate great changes. This award motivates us further to persist in this mission,” Brkan said.

International Peace Days were held in Mostar this year again. During events that lasted three days, round tables, debates, poetry evenings, and performances were organised, all containing peace as a common theme.

 

BIRN Albania Holds Training Against Disinformation

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania organized a three-day training in the ciy of Durrës from September 19 to 21.

The training, which focused on OSINT and fact-checking, was designed to strengthen resilience against disinformation and brought together 22 journalists from various broadcast and online media outlets.

Michael Colborne, an experienced trainer, journalist and OSINT practitioner with Bellingcat, introduced participants to the fundamentals of open-source research and journalism. His sessions covered digital footprint tracing, passive or pseudonymous investigation, in-depth research on social networks such as Telegram and Instagram, and the use of facial recognition tools.

Milica Stojanovic, an experienced fact-checker and journalist with BIRN Hub, trained participants on how Balkan Insight has made rigorous fact-checking an integral part of its investigative journalism. She also shared methods for verifying third-party content and discussed the use of artificial intelligence in fact-checking.

The training was conducted as part of the project “Strengthening Albania’s Information Environment: Countering Disinformation and Enhancing Institutional Resilience”, supported by the British Embassy in Albania.

As a follow-up, participating journalists will be mentored and supported by BIRN to produce OSINT-based investigative stories.

 

BIRN Albania Opens Call for Investigative Stories on Environment

We are offering grants for three talented journalists to delve deep into environment-related topics, uncover hidden truths, and shed light on critical issues affecting Albanian citizens.

BIRN Albania launched a call for investigative stories on September 15, offering grants to three journalists to produce articles on Albania’s public and private environmental systems.

This call is organized as part of the project “Promoting Accountability through Investigative Journalism,” supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

The project aims to build bridges between journalists and civil society to jointly strengthen the fight against corruption and impunity through investigative journalism, with particular focus on:

  • The environmental impact of energy generation projects, particularly photovoltaic panels and wind turbines;
  • The management of water resources and rivers;
  • The cumulative assessment of development projects in protected areas;
  • Waste management and the overlapping responsibilities for impact assessment among local institutions and government;
  • Climate change and its effects on agriculture and human health;
  • The costs and potential benefits of alignment with EU environmental legislation;
  • Biodiversity and the preservation of natural habitats;
  • Urbanization and its impact on the environment;
  • Air management and industrial pollution;
  • The impact of mass tourism on protected areas;
  • Green transport policies and sustainable mobility;
  • Food security and sustainable agriculture.

Selected journalists will have 3-4 months to investigate their chosen topics, conduct in-depth research, and produce high-quality articles that highlight the challenges and dynamics of Albania’s environmental systems.

The call only applies to journalists from Albania and closes on October 05, 2025.

Click here for more information (in Albanian) about the application procedure.

Click here to download the application form (in Albanian).

BIRN Kosovo Holds Trainings and Workshops on Cadastral Issues

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Kosovo, BIRN Kosovo, has held one-day workshop sessions in seven Kosovo municipalities, bringing together cadastral officials, lawyers, private bailiffs, surveyors and notaries on the role of Cadastral Offices in property issues and advancing cooperation between institutions and reducing barriers.

Nearly 80 participants have so far responded to the invitation to attend three workshops held on February 24 in Pristina, on February 27 in Ferizaj and on February 28 in Gjilan – together with all the municipalities included in these three large regions.

In the coming weeks, workshops will continue in the municipalities of Prizren, Mitrovica, Peja and Gjakova.

For the development of the workshops, BIRN Kosovo has engaged Haxhi Gashi, a senior legal expert.

In parallel, BIRN Kosovo started trainings with municipal cadastral officials in early February to build the capacities of the Cadastral Offices. Xhevat Azemi, a legal expert, and Drenushë Jonuzi Kukaj, a cadastre specialist, led trainings in Prishtina, Ferizaj, Gjilan and Graçanica – inviting officials who are from the Serbian community – and in Gjakova.

The purpose of the trainings and workshops is to build the capacities of the Cadastral Offices, notaries, bailiffs, mediators, lawyers and ultimately judges.

This activity is part of the Public Information and Awareness Services for Vulnerable Communities in Kosovo PIAKOS project, in which BIRN acts as a co-implementing party.

The project is financed by the World Bank/State and Peace Building Trust Fund.

 

BIRN Publishes Report on Combating Terrorism in Kosovo

Report says failure to oblige individuals convicted of terrorism-related offences do not attend rehabilitation programmes raises risk of them re-offending.

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, in Kosovo published the monitoring report, “Challenges of Rehabilitation, Reintegration & Disengagement from Terrorism in Kosovo”, presenting Kosovo’s commitment to preventing and combating terrorism.

The report highlights that many individuals convicted of terrorism-related offences do not attend rehabilitation programmes, as the law does not require them to do so.

Speakers were: Albulena Haxhiu, Minister of Justice; Mensur Hoti, director of the Department for Public Security at the Ministry of Interior,  Kreshnik Gashi, editor-in-Chief of KALLXO.com; and Labinot Leposhtica.

Gashi pointed out that although Kosovo is considered a model for rehabilitation and reintegration, the lack of a legal obligation to attend these programmes and the rise of right-wing extremism pose serious challenges.

Minister of Justice Haxhiu acknowledged that the absence of a legal framework mandating convicted individuals to participate in rehabilitation programmes is a concern, and said legal amendments are being considered to address this issue.

Mensur Hoti said the lack of mandatory rehabilitation increases the risk of re-radicalization and the return of individuals to illegal activities after their release.

The author of the analysis, Labinot Leposhtica, emphasized that only 29 convicted individuals have attended rehabilitation programmes while in correctional institutions and stressed the need for a legal basis to make participation mandatory.

“These subjects need specific treatment in order to let go the narratives based on which they committed those acts, and the penal code does not make this possible,” he added.

The 48 participants at the event included individuals from both central and local levels, experts, representatives from diplomatic missions, members of religious communities, practitioners in the field, and media representatives. Of the 48 participants, 30 were women.

The report is accessible online:

📌 Albanian: https://bit.ly/4bkDxqE

📌 Serbian: https://bit.ly/43c0yKv

📌 English: https://bit.ly/4hZF3Ru

This activity is part of the “Resilient and Inclusive Community Programme”, funded by GCERF.

BIRN Invites Journalists to Apply for Grants for Investigative Stories

Journalists covering EU member countries and EU aspiring countries are invited to apply for grants to produce investigations shedding light on critical social, political and economic issues.

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, is calling on journalists who are interested in producing in-depth investigations to apply for grants that will cover the cost of producing investigations but also include mentoring support to develop impactful stories that foster accountability and public awareness.

Who is eligible?

Journalists currently working in or publishing stories covering EU member countries and EU aspiring countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and Kosovo – can apply.

What are we offering?

Selected journalists will receive grants of €1,140 for the production of their investigative stories (The grant lasts a minimum of three and a maximum of six months). The selected journalists will receive mentoring support from BIRN editors/mentors to help them produce their stories.

This call is ongoing – what does that mean?

Twenty grants in total are available and the ongoing call for applications will be closed once they are all distributed. The first deadline after which applications received so far will be evaluated is June 30th, 2025.

How to apply?

Before applying, click HERE to read the full call for applications. After reviewing the information, follow the link to access the application form. Applicants need to attach two documents in English to the application form: a CV and a signed letter of support from the media outlet where they will publish the story.

About the project

This call for applications is part of the Media Organisations for Stronger Transnational Journalism (MOST) initiative, which aims to enhance the resilience of non-profit media in reporting on European issues and drive innovation in foreign reporting. The initiative supports media organisations in developing new approaches and strengthening capacity, fostering collaboration and sharing best practices across borders.

MOST brings together seven prominent media organisations to establish a community of practice focused on business transformation and editorial cooperation.

The project is implemented by a consortium comprising: 1) Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), 2) Centro per la Cooperazione Internazionale (CCI/OBCT); 3) El Orden Mundial – EOM, Spain; 4) European Pravda, Ukraine; 5) Kolegium Europy Wschodniej im Jana Nowaka-Jezioranskiego we Wroclawiu – KeW, Poland (New Eastern Europe); 6) Le Courrier des Balkans – Courriers D’Europe et D’Orient – DcB, France; and 7) Stichting the Tactical Technology Collective – TTC, Netherlands.

For clarifications, contact: [email protected].

BIRN Macedonia Holds Third Training for Young Journalists

Twelve young journalists participated in the third training of the 2024-2025 series of investigative journalism training courses.

The three-day course was held on February 21 to 23 in Shtip, North Macedonia.

In the previous training, in November 2024, the BIRN team guided the young journalists on finding and developing story ideas through checking public records, formulating access to information requests and identifying sources.

During the past three months, the participants made progress in researching and gathering information about the story ideas agreed in November.

The focus of the third training was improving journalists’ skills in storytelling and preparing them for the final presentations of their stories, expected in the coming period.

The participants learned from the BIRN team how to develop a good story lead that grabs the attention of the audience and how to build the structure of a story from the beginning to the end, inserting different types of information in each section of the structure.

The young journalists practised their newly developed skills directly on the stories they are working on as a part of the 2024-2025 training courses.

The importance of field research was highlighted during the training. As most of the participants have already done some field work on their stories, in the training session they had the opportunity to practice how to better describe what they’ve seen and experienced in the field, how to filter important from unimportant field information, how to pay attention to details and how to observe not only what’s there but also what’s missing.

The complexity of describing big data and providing context was also addressed during the training. Participants were shown examples of how to use analogies in presenting big numbers to make them more comprehensible for the audience, as well as how to use charts and graphs to better present complex data.

Developing specific writing techniques was also a part of the training, with participants having the opportunity to learn and practice how to best structure their sentences to make them easy to read.