Author: birnEU

BIRN Fellowship Alumnus Vlad Odobescu Wins a Hubert Humphrey Fellowship

Vlad Odobescu, a Romanian investigative reporter and a participant in last year’s Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence, has won a Hubert Humphrey Fellowship in the United States.

For 10 months starting this August, Vlad will be affiliated to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in Phoenix. He will study funding models for investigative journalism across the United States and explore whether they could be applied in Romania.

Initiated in 1978, the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program is funded by the US Department of State.

Vlad won the top prize in last year’s Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence for his article How to Get Ahead in Romanian Politics, which described how politicians have bounced back from corruption investigations.

BIRN Premieres Missing Persons Documentary

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIRN BiH) will present its latest documentary film dealing with the issue of missing persons entitled ‘Missing You…’ on July 3 at the Meeting Point Cinema in Sarajevo at 18.30pm.

‘Missing You…’ follows the stories of several people searching for missing members of their families.

For the past 22 years, Fikret Bacic has been searching for the remains of his wife and children, who were killed in Prijedor. Blazenka Djumic also lives in hope that she will find her daughter who went missing four years ago. They are just a few among many who are seeking lost loved ones.
 
The film charts the search for missing persons in detail, follows key actors and highlights their roles, and explains how DNA analysis is carried out.

The documentary discusses how to ease the pain of people looking for their family members in war and peacetime in the region and across the world.
 
Following the screening, BIRN BiH with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) will host a panel discussion about the significance of the search for missing persons.
 
The speakers will be Fikret Bacic, the director of the ICMP, Kathryn Bomberger, and the deputy chief of the OSCE mission to BiH, Nina Suomalainen. It will be moderated by Anisa Suceska-Vekic, the director of BIRN BiH.

The entrence to the event is free of charge.

BIRN BiH at London Summit

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Bosnia and Herzegovina – BIRN BiH –  contributed to one of the largest campaigns ever launched against sexual violence in conflict, the Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict that took place in London 10-13 June.

Participation at the Summit’s Fringe, where NGOs held panel discussions, film screenings, concerts, exhibitions, etc. allowed BIRN BiH to present its work and experience covering wartime sexual violence in BiH with the world.

“We were able to get international exposure and take equal part alongside some of the biggest and most relevant organizations dedicated to the cause such as Save the Children, Amnesty International, United Nations,” said Development and Communications Officer at BIRN BiH Zlatan Music.

In addition, the Summit presented a great opportunity to get more insight into the key stakeholders and their opinions on the subject.

“We managed to collect valuable feedback and contacts from the participants who attended our events, and with whom we want to build relationships for cooperation in the future. These include Northwestern University, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and International Federation of Medical Students’ Association,” Music added.

The Summit provided a platform for discussion about the various struggles faced by victims of sexual violence face which can often ultimately render them social outcasts. In this sense it was important to see and to hear political leaders publicly commit to the cause.

The exchange of knowledge and participation at the Summit’s Fringe was surely one of the key organizational achievements of 2014.

BIRN Screens Documentary Film in Brussels

BIRN’s film ‘The Majority Starts Here’ was shown at the centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels on Wednesday.

The event was hosted by former EU Special Representative to Macedonia and Senior Associate Research fellow Erwan Fouere, and the screening was followed by a debate on current challenges in Balkan countries with BIRN Macedonia director Ana Petruseva.

Petruseva spoke about the importance of BIRN’s Transitional Justice programme, which is the only one of its kind in the region, the public’s interest in issues related to the past and the lack of political will to address them, as well as about the making of the documentary, the state of the media in the region and challenges to freedom of speech.

Guests included EU parliament rapporteur for Macedonia Richard Howitt, representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, Brussels-based think tanks as well as diplomats from Balkan countries’ embassies.

BIRN’s documentary is available to buy at: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/page/dvd-documentary-majority-starts-here.  

 

Thirrje për artikuj investigativë në fushën e mjedisit

Thirrja organizohet nga Rrjeti Ballkanik për Gazetarinë Investigative në Shqipëri (BIRN Albania), me mbështetjen e Fondacionit Shoqëria e Hapur për Shipërinë dhe Balkan Trust for Democracy.

Nëpërmjet këtij konkursi tre (3) gazetarë investigativë do të përzgjidhen për të prodhuar artikuj investigativë në fushën e mjedisit, në bashkpunim me shoqërinë civile. Fituesit do të përzgjidhen nga një juri e pavarur e përbërë nga gazetarë me eksperiencë dhe ekspertë në fushën e mjedisit.

Aplikantët e përzgjedhur, të cilët do marrin një bursë prej 1,200 USD ($1,080 + $120 taksë të ardhurash personale), do kenë në dispozicion një periudhë tre mujore për të përfunduar investigimin e tyre dhe përgatitjen e artikullit për publikim.

Kandidatët fitues pritet që të angazhohen dhe të përmbushin të gjitha detyrimet në lidhje me investigimin, siç janë: takimet e shpeshta (javore) me redaktorin, publikimi i tekstit në faqen e BIRN Albania dhe gjithashtu në Balkan Insight, si dhe respektimin e standardeve të gazetarisë investigative dhe etikës profesionale.

Kandidatët duhet të formulojnë një propozim të detajuar për konkursin. Propozimet duhet të kenë për qëllim ekspozimin e krimit mjedisor, korrupsionit, abuzimit me pushtetin, pandëshkueshmërisë dhe mungesës së zbatimit të ligjit në këtë fushë.

Prioritet në përzgjedhje do i kushtohet propozimeve të cilat përfshijnë një nga temat e mëposhtme, të sygjeruara si prioritare gjatë një tryeze të rrumbullakët midis gazetarëve dhe përfaqësuesve të shoqërisë civile në fushën e mjedisit të organizuar nga BIRN Albania:

  • Korrupsioni, shkeljet ligjore dhe ndikimet negative në mjedis nga hidrocentralet dhe shfrytëzimi i lumenjëve;
  • Keqmenaxhimi i fondeve për mbrojtjen mjedisit nga institucione lokale ose ndërkombëtare;
  • Mosfunksionimi i mekanizmave publik të monitorimit dhe kontrollit në fushën e mjedisit;
  • Shkatërrimi i florës dhe faunës (p.sh. shkatërrimi i pyjeve, gjuetia dhe peshkimi i paligjshëm ose i pakontrolluar, etj);
  • Dëmtimi i parqeve kombëtare dhe zonave mjedisore të mbrojtura;
  • Importi dhe/ose menaxhimi i mbetjeve urbane dhe atyre të rrezikshme;
  • Ndotja e mjedisit si pasojë e aktivitetit industrial. 
  • Aplikantët mund të dërgojnë më shumë se një aplikim, por vetëm një propozim për kandidat do të përzgjidhet.
  • Të drejtën për të aplikuar e kanë të gjithë gazetarët në Shqipëri, të punësuar apo në profesion të lirë.

Kandidatëve i kërkohet që bashkë me formularin e plotësuar të aplikimit të dërgojnë një CV, dhe tre shembuj të punës së tyre me email në: [email protected]

Afati i Aplikimit: 30 Qershor 2014
Kandidatët e përzgjedhur do të njoftohen deri më datë: 7 Korrik, 2014

BIRN Albania Launches Call for Environmental Investigations

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania launched an open call on Monday for investigative stories on environmental issues.

The call, which closes on June 30, is part of the programme ‘Exposing Corruption in Albania’, supported by the Open Society Foundation in Albania (OSFA) and the Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD).

Three journalists will be awarded a grant to cover their expenses while doing the investigation and writing the story on environmental crime and corruption.

Journalists will have about three months to dig deeper and research their ideas, but also the opportunity to work with experienced editors as their mentors to guide them through the process of writing to BIRN’s standards.

More calls for investigative grants will follow, for a total of 21 stories until December 2016. Topics for future investigations will include: Health, Education, the Rule of Law, Organized Crime, Local Government and Public Administration.
The call only applies to journalists from Albania.

Click for more information about the application procedure, with details in Albanian.

BIRN Kosovo Managing Editor Discusses Elections on Kosovo Serb TV

The Managing Editor of BIRN Kosovo, Muhamet Hajrullahu, was invited to Serbian-language TV station, RTV Puls, in Shillova, a village near Gjilan, to analyse the aftermath of recent parliamentary elections in Kosovo.


Muhamet Hajrullahu on TV Puls.

Discussed during the programme were the participation of Serbs in the national elections, the new government and the future of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

Also discussed was the possible participation of Lista Srpska in the new government of Kosovo.


‘Kingdom of Coal’ Screened in ‘Green’ Open Air Cinema in Mitrovica

Kingdom of Coal, directed by Antoneta Kastrati and Casey Cooper Johnson (Crossing Bridges Production) and produced by Jeta Xharra (BIRN Kosovo), was screened in the sixth edition of the ‘Green’ Open Air Cinema in Mitrovica.

Kingdom of Coal

The documentary investigates the economic, health and environmental costs of coal, while exploring the potential for alternative energy in Kosovo.

Kingdom of Coal was screened on the second night of the ‘Green’ Cinema, a project that aims to raise the awareness of the Kosovar citizens on the environmental conditions they live in.

“Besides igniting the curiosity of the more adult audience, the film sparked the interest of the younger generations and teenagers, who appeared to feel compassionate towards the fellow youngsters who were featured in this film,” said Kushtrim Hoti, the coordinator of this project.

This year, the event was held from June 9th until the 11th. An audience of around 500 had the opportunity to watch short films and documentaries by both national and international artists.

The ‘Green’ Cinema is organized by the ‘7arte’ cultural association, which in the future intends to support young artists that want to get involved in building Kosovar awareness on the issue of the environment by producing films of this nature.

Competing with other international films dealing with environmental issues, “Kingdom of Coal” won the Best Green DoX award in the International Short Film and Documentary Festival Dokufest in 2011.

BIRN Albania Holds Roundtable on Environment

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Albania organised a roundtable on June 10 in Tirana bringing together journalists with civil society organisations working on environmental issues.

It was the first in a series of seven roundtables, part of a programme called ‘Exposing Corruption in Albania’, which is financed by the Open Society Foundation in Albania (OSFA) and the Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD).

The project aims to expose corruption cases in eight different sectors: the environment, the judiciary, education, public administration, local government and organised crime, by bridging the gap between journalists and CSOs, and by providing a solid basis for collaboration in exposing abuses of power.

About 20 representatives of non-governmental organisations and journalists debated the possibilities of working together on important issues for the environment but also for ordinary people.

The NGO representatives underlined that there are many environmental problems in Albania that the topic should be a ‘gold mine’ for investigative journalists.

They listed dozens of key topics, ranging from the use of chemicals in agriculture tothe impact of new hydropower plants, illegal fishing and deforestation and answered more detailed questions about the options for research on those topics.

The journalists said that they were interested in writing investigative stories on the topics that the NGOs highlighted and both groups agreed that closer cooperation between CSOs and the media was necessary to tackle complex issues.

BIRN BiH Hosts Events at Sexual Violence Summit

BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina will host several events in the Fringe Exhibition Area at Excel London during the Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict from June 10-12.

The first event will be a media panel entitled ‘The Challenges to Objective Reporting about Wartime Sexual Violence: A Focus on Bosnia’ that will bring together the journalists involved in founding BIRN BiH in 2005 and creating a platform for reporting about war crime trials, victims’ stories and other developments in the justice field.

The media panel will take place on June 10 at 11.30am in discussion room 6, and will be hosted by Nerma Jelacic, ICTY head of communications, Ed Vulliamy (TBC), a writer for The Guardian and The Observer, and Erna Mackic, editor-in-chief of BIRN’s Justice Report.

At the second event entitled: ‘Testimonies of Sexual Violence in BiH: A Short film Followed by a Q&A’, BIRN BiH will present a collection of testimonies recorded for an upcoming film about wartime sexual violence. The film uncovers wartime sex crimes and reflects upon the main issues preventing victims of sexual abuse from coming forward to testify.

The event will take place on June 12 at 4.30pm in discussion room 6, and will be hosted by Andi Gitow, executive producer in the UN’s news and media division, Erna Mackic, editor-in-chief of BIRN’s Justice Report, and Denis Dzidic, a journalist for BIRN’s Balkan Transitional Justice programme.

On the same day at 12.25pm in the Silent Cinema space on Screen 1, BIRN BiH will present ‘Sexual Violence as a War Crime’, a one-and-a-half-hour video compilation of various news reports and testimonies recorded for its ‘TV Justice’ programme.

The entire schedule for the Fringe Exhibition Area at Excel London is available here: http://esvcsummit.com/publicprogramme/Agenda/Index?day=1

You can stay in touch during the event by following the Twitter hashtags: #EndSVCHack, #TimeToAct