Author: birnEU

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 €1,400 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 to the application form: a CV and a 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.

 

BIRN Holds Workshops in Skopje on Media Resilience and AI in Western Balkans

On November 13 and 14 in Skopje, BIRN organised workshops on the wellbeing of journalists and on AI in media as part of the Western Balkans Media for Change project.

Daniel Fieller, Deputy Head of Mission at the British embassy in North Macedonia, opened the event  in Skopje on November 13, thanking the media outlets that the Western Balkans Media for Change project supports.

“You serve your societies by amplifying the voices of those unheard in the region,” he said, adding that BIRN has been his main source of information since living in the region and that it has been a privilege to work with organisations such as BIRN and Thomson.

Milka Domanovic, BIRN’s Regional Director, said she was proud that the project team has been able to adapt to different circumstances over the years and listen carefully to the needs of the people BIRN is supporting. “This project also created very stable connections between media professionals in the region,” she said.

Larisa Halilovic, Team Leader at the Western Balkans Media for Change project, emphasized that the project currently works with over 100 media professionals in the region.

After the opening, journalists joined a workshop on the wellbeing of journalists led by Emma Thomasson from The Self-Investigation Foundation.

Through interaction with each other and different exercises, they were motivated to think about workplace factors that lead to burnout, which include unfair treatment at work, unmanageable workloads, unreasonable time pressure, lack of role clarity and lack of communication and support from the manager. The workshop also covered tools for building resilience in the workplace and conflict management.

On November 14, participants heard about the main findings of the Global Index on Responsible AI in Southeastern Europe (GIRAI), a multidimensional tool measuring progress towards responsible use of AI in 138 countries and jurisdictions.

Ivana Jeremic, BIRN’s Digital Rights Programme Content Lead and GIRAI Southeast Europe Research Team Leader, explained that the Balkan region is an emerging AI governance hub with varied progress levels across different countries. “Most countries in the region lack comprehensive policies for AI safety, accuracy and reliability,” Jeremic said.

Journalists also learned about using AI in newsrooms with Damjan Dano, a Tech entrepreneur. The workshop covered AI tools and solutions that journalists can implement in their media outlets, as well as an evaluation of those tools and a discussion on AI’s limitations and the role of human oversight. The participants also discussed ethical challenges and legal and copyright issues when using AI for content creation.

Finally, at the event closure, participants heard directly about achievements from the media outlets that were supported through the project and about the change and impact achieved with BIRN and Thomson assistance and mentorship, from Armela Toska from Monitor (Albania), Amna Mehmedspahic from Radio Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Maja Ravanska from Lice v lice (North Macedonia), Rina Gurgule from Telegrafi (Kosovo), Dusan Cicmil from Vijesti (Montenegro) and Aleksandar Minic from TV Forum (Serbia).

BIRN Albania Holds Roundtable on Local Government

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania on September 17 held a roundtable in Tirana on local government with journalists and experts from civil society organisations.

Two dozen reporters and civil society activists discussed corruption, impunity and abuse of office in local government in Albania.

The roundtable was moderated by Rigels Xhemollari, executive director of Qendresa Qytetare, a civil society watchdog group of active young professionals.    

The roundtable, which was supported by the Swedish International Development Agency, SIDA, aims to strengthen ties between investigative journalists and civil society and inform an upcoming call for investigative grants for mid-career reporters.

The call will fund reporting grants for journalists that investigate corruption and abuse of office in local government, with a particular focus on the topics highlighted during the roundtable.   

Topics discussed during the roundtable included:

  • The lack of implementation of integrity and anti-corruption plans, particularly on the elements of ethics and conflict of interests in municipalities and municipal councils.
  • Nepotism and clientelism in the human resources of municipalities
  • Transparency of budgets, public procurement procedures and public contracts awarded by municipalities
  • The appointment of people with a criminal background to public inspectorates and their role during elections
  • Corruption with waste management contracts
  • Lack of budgets to address children in street situations
  • The lack of representation of rural areas at municipal level
  • Lack of sewage and sewage treatment plants
  • Problems of urban development, building criteria, parking, garbage bins, etc
  • Corruption cases in the treatment of solid waste

The roundtable will inform BIRN Albania’s upcoming call for investigative reports on local government.

Call for Journalists and Researchers on Electoral Integrity and Political Discourse in Albania

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania (BIRN Albania) is announcing an open call for applications, offering grants to local journalists and researchers to produce in-depth articles on electoral integrity and political discourse in Albania.

BIRN is offering three grants for journalists and researchers to cover their expenses while conducting investigations and writing stories on topics related to electoral integrity and political discourse in Albania, as well as mentoring by experienced editors.

The call is part of the project “Evidence-Based Monitoring of Local Public Spending during Electoral Processes”, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by Qëndresa Qytetare in partnership with BIRN Albania.

The project aims to contribute to the enhancement of integrity, transparency and equal competition in Albania’s electoral processes by addressing some of the fundamental challenges and deficiencies, particularly those in relation to:

  • Misuse of public funds and public administration in relation to electoral processes;
  • Electoral crimes and the work of law enforcement bodies;
  • The impact of elections on the public administration and its politicization;
  • Transparency of political parties’ finances during election campaigns;
  • Involvement of persons with a criminal past in political parties and electoral processes;
  • Misuse of digital/social media or Artificial Intelligence and prevalence of hate speech in the political discourse;
  • Barriers encountered by women and youth toward political participation, etc.

The awarded journalists and researchers will receive a scholarship of 1,500 euros gross (minus personal income tax). They will have around three to five months to dig deeper and research their ideas. They will also have the opportunity to work with experienced editors as mentors to guide them through the process of writing in accordance with BIRN standards.

We encourage the submission of proposals for the production of relevant journalistic content by individuals or teams. We support various forms, including investigations, data-rich stories and papers.

The call only applies to journalists and researchers from Albania with previous experience on this topic.

All applicants must be independent and free from conflicts of interest in the responsibilities they undertake.

Applicants may submit more than one application, but only one proposal per candidate will be selected.

Interested candidates should send their proposals in Albanian language by email to: [email protected], including: completed application form (Click here to download the form); a CV and two examples of their previous work.

Application Deadline: September 23, 2024.

BIRN Webinar: Addressing Biometric Surveillance Issues in Europe

Join us for a webinar on September 24, 2024, at 1:00 PM CET, where experts will delve into the pressing issues surrounding biometric surveillance in Europe. This event will offer valuable insights into the current legal landscape, practical tools for advocacy, and the role of journalism in shaping public discourse.

Sign up here to attend the webinar.

Date: September 24, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM CET

Featured Speakers:

Ella Jakubowska, EDRi’s Head of Policy
Ella Jakubowska will provide an in-depth analysis of the AI Act, focusing on:

    • Key provisions of the AI Act
    • Identifying its limitations and gaps
    • Existing legal protections against biometric surveillance
    • Practical guidance for opposing biometric surveillance, including legal tools and strategies for engaging with policymakers and collaborating with civil society.

Apostolis Fotiadis, Investigations Editor at BIRN
Apostolis Fotiadis will share his expertise on impactful reporting related to biometric surveillance. His presentation will cover:

    • Effective strategies for reporting on biometric surveillance
    • Insights from his investigations, including major EU surveillance programs and their implications.

Registration:

Sign up here to attend the webinar.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with leading experts on biometric surveillance. Applications are open until September 20, 2024.

The webinar is a must-attend for policymakers, journalists, civil society members, and anyone concerned with the implications of biometric surveillance.

Reporting Digital Rights and Freedoms – Sub-Grants 2024

Empowering Journalism in the Digital Age – Enhancing digital safety and capacities of media and CSOs in the Western Balkans.

Call for Applications Open

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is announcing an open call for Digital Rights and Freedoms sub-grants 2024. The call is open for media and civil society organisations from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) which are already researching and reporting on, or have an interest in getting dedicated to, digital rights and freedoms and their respective violations occurring throughout the region, or which are impacted by global internet governance developments through their scope of work.

Awarded media and CSOs will gain an opportunity to collaborate closely with BIRN editors and our specialized digital rights team as well as to benefit from technical assistance throughout the grant duration.

Awardees will also have the opportunity to publish their work on some of BIRN’s regional platforms, such as Balkan Insight and local BIRN flagship media, which will enable them to inform and engage a wide regional audience.

Grants Overview

Digital rights and freedoms are under increasing threat, including in the Western Balkans. There is a growing need for as many responsible media and engaged CSOs as possible to become more informed and vigilant and explore internet-related topics more broadly from a multistakeholder perspective and in an in-depth manner. The digital world that we live in offers us new dimensions to exercise our freedoms. At the same time, those freedoms online are shrinking both online and offline as a result of invasive and restrictive policies, or misuse of technological developments.

This BIRN grant aims to help and engage media and CSOs with financial support, mentoring and continuous technical assistance so they can navigate, explore and deliver complex internet and human rights-related issues and (policy) developments to the public at large.

What We Offer

  • Grants of up to EUR 15,000 for media and civil society organisations to support up to twelve (12) months of activities, including but not limited to written content (research, investigations, analyses), audio-visual content, policy papers and reports, focused on in-depth coverage related to digital rights and freedoms in the Western Balkans region
  • Continuous support of the BIRN technical assistance and specialized digital rights team

Who Can Apply?

  • Media and civil society organisations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Application Process

To apply for Digital Rights and Freedoms sub-grants 2024, please download the Grant Proposal Application Form and Budget proposal sheet.

Download the Guidelines for application as well.

The following documents need to be sent to [email protected] with the subject email “BIRN RDRF sub-grant application 2024”

  • Grant proposal application (in PDF format)
  • Budget proposal (in excel format)
  • Supporting documents: certificate of registration, fiscal number certificate, business registry document if applicable, registration with the tax administration, bank account information, membership of press council if applicable, or list of relevant references for implemented projects (attached in the email in ZIP format)

*please note that we will not accept documents sent via any cloud platforms (for e.g. WeTransfer)

All selected grantees will sign a grant contract with BIRN, aimed at affirming the authenticity of your proposal application and your commitment to the ethical standards.

Submission Deadline: September 19, 2024

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

  • Relevance and significance of the proposed activities
  • Feasibility, originality and potential impact of the proposed application
  • Financial quality of the offer towards activity
  • Team potential and previous experience

A committee established by BIRN’s digital rights experts, editors and project management staff will review the proposals.

Contact Us

For more information and to submit your application, please use [email protected].

Join us in our mission to defend digital rights and freedoms. Apply for the “Digital Rights and Freedoms grants 2024!

SEE Digital Rights Network Members from Kosovo, Croatia, and Greece Meet Online

BIRN gathered SEE Digital Rights Network members from Kosovo, Greece, and Croatia to share their most recent digital rights-related projects and initiatives and talk about the future work of the SEE Digital Rights Network.

 

The meeting was held online on September 4, 2023, and was attended by representatives of seven organisations who shared recent experiences working in the digital rights field and showcased their plans. Representatives opened the dialogue to underline recent shared successes through the work with other SEE Digital Rights Network members, testifying about the Network’s collaborative and supportive spirit.

SCiDEV, actively working in Albania and the region, is currently working on its youth-oriented digital rights ERASMUS+ funded project by developing capacity-building programs tailored for the young from rural areas and disadvantaged groups. The project is implemented by SCiDEV and four other regional and EU-based organisations.

The organisation has its sights set on the future, hinting at upcoming collaborations with regional counterparts. While they praised the Network’s strides, they also called for enhanced communication via modern tools like Slack and a strengthened group identity.

The IPKO Foundation from Kosovo said it is excited about shaping the future of tech through its yearly event, DOKU.TECH, and empowering women and girls in the cyber world with their initiative, “Reshaping the Future”. Their ideas highlight the importance of regional meetings for generating new project ideas.

Levizja FOL, with its support for amplifying citizens’ representation in public discourse, shared insights from their recent dive into Kosovo’s cybersecurity and cybercrime landscape. They said that they focus not just on research but also advocate for tangible change, especially regarding anti-corruption measures and legal frameworks.

While YIHR Kosovo takes a broader view in its critical work in the human rights field, its partnership with the SHARE Foundation, which, together with BIRN, co-founded the SEE Digital Rights Network, has concentrated on strengthening the capabilities of activists in the digital age.

Politiscope from Croatia focused on privacy concerns, with an emphasis on protecting the nation’s youth. Its projects are charting new territories, especially in AI’s application in Croatia and Serbia. As newcomers to the Network, they’re open to mentorship and eager to share successful methodologies with fellow Network members.

Greece’s HOMO Digitalis spoke about their mission to shield digital rights. Through cooperation with EDRi and their diverse campaigns, HOMO Digitalis’ work encompasses advocacy, litigation and education in protecting digital human rights. In a spirit of unity, they proposed a shared map of all Network activities and the pooling of member publications.

Lastly, the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies, KCSS, shed light on its Emerging Threats Program, designed to demystify and tackle modern security enigmas. Their recent focus has been on the cybersecurity needs of Kosovo NGOs and fostering a cyber-aware environment for marginalized communities.

As the meeting concluded, the members committed to navigating the digital challenges together. The meeting ended with an announcement of the next gathering in December 2023, which will mark the first regional meeting of the SEE Digital Rights Network.