Author: Eleni Stamatoukou

Contribute to Increasing Transparency and Accountability of Kosovo Govt and Raise Awareness of Disinformation

BIRN Kosovo

This project aims to improve inter-community relations by facilitating spaces for Albanians, Serbs and those from other ethnic communities to interact, while also providing a channel through which members of various Kosovo communities can express their grievances and their hopes for the future. Furthermore, the project aims to increase public awareness and understanding of fake news and disinformation among citizens and particularly among young people from different communities in Kosovo.

Summary:

The worldwide phenomena of fake news and disinformation have plagued Western Balkan countries, like others, in recent years. Kosovo has been no exception. There has been a surge there of fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 parliamentary elections as well as about the EU-mediated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

In the context of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, media outlets in both countries have spread misinformation. In Kosovo, statements from Serbian politicians or other media outlets are often presented to readers as insults against Kosovo, either for political purposes or as a means to boost engagement. In Serbia, media campaigns to delegitimize Kosovo’s statehood and undermine its governance capabilities and relations with the EU are widespread.

The EU-mediated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue on normalization of relations has now been in stalemate for months. The sides are yet to come to a comprehensive and binding agreement – a prospect that does not seem within reach. The process of the dialogue has been accompanied by a lack of transparency from both governments, which has contributed to the limited level of information among citizens about the process and its outcomes. Meanwhile, relations on the ground between Albanians and Serbians in Kosovo, as well as between the two countries, have not improved significantly.

It is concerning that the youth are also burdened by the impact of conflict memories. This is fueled by antagonistic conflict narratives provided in two parallel education systems and limited cross-community interactions at all levels. In the meantime, young boys and girls from both communities face similar challenges, including a lack of education, job opportunities, as well as poor economic conditions.

Given these common challenges, it is important to establish platforms for cross-community interactions. These would allow representatives from all communities, particularly Albanians and Serbians, to exchange views on grievances and build reconciliation through imagining different futures. Kosovo today needs new and creative solutions, to effectively address protracted economic, social and political problems and to shape an inclusive narrative about shared priorities for the future.

In the framework of the proposed project, BIRN Kosovo and Internews Kosova (I/KS) will provide a space for dialogue, elicit joint solutions to joint problems and feature good practices through the publication of articles and broadcasting of stories that bring together citizens from different ethnic communities in Kosovo to discuss the key challenges they face.

The project will feature community experiences in tackling issues ranging from economics, politics and security to current affairs, and will involve a segment in the programmes hosting decision makers to address the issues and solutions raised by community leaders and participants during the debates.

The project further aims to fight fake news and disinformation by promoting adherence to the media Code of Ethics and raising awareness about the mechanisms available to address these phenomena – while also publishing fact-checking articles and news articles on identifying and debunking fake news and disinformation on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, inter-ethnic relations, vulnerable communities and other related topics.

Lastly, the project aims to provide the youth of Kosovo from different ethnic backgrounds with the tools they need to fight fake news and disinformation through training opportunities offered within the framework of the Summer School.

Donor:

Embassy of Switzerland in Kosovo

Main objectives:

 Objective 1: contribute to improving inter-ethnic relations through facilitating communication and providing a platform to voice the challenges faced by all communities, as well as positive examples;

Objective 2: increase public awareness of fake news and disinformation among citizens from different ethnic backgrounds in Kosovo, especially among the young.

 Main Activities:

  1. Raise public discussion through three (3) TV debates by Kosovo MPs on the level of implementation of the Law on the Use of Languages, Law on Protection from Discrimination and Law on Local Self-Government;
  2. Broadcast ten (10) TV programmes on inter-municipal and inter-sectoral cooperation, to promote good practices through solution-driven journalism;
  3. Raise awareness and promote positive examples through seven (7) TV programmes of stories of all community members, in particular Albanian and Serbian communities living in Kosovo;
  4. Promote the importance of self-regulatory and regulatory bodies efforts in fighting disinformation and fake news through two (2) TV debates;
  5. Draft five (5) position papers with the Press Council of Kosovo on the Code of Ethics and organise working meetings with members of the Council to discuss and address findings;
  6. Publish eighty (80) fact-checking articles on KALLXO.com’s Krypometër (Truth-o-meter) section on implementation of the dialogue process;
  7. Publish twenty (20) short news articles on identifying and debunking fake news and disinformation, as well as stories relating to inter-ethnic relations, on the KALLXO.com platform;
  8. Organise a summer school on the topic of anti-disinformation with young people from different ethnic communities in Kosovo;
  9. Provide internship and mentorship opportunities to five (5) university students to report on topics related to inter-ethnic relations and disinformation;
  10. Organise exchange of experiences and best practices with partners organisations from Georgia/other countries.

Target Groups:

  • Members of all ethnic communities in Kosovo, particularly Albanians and Serbs;
  • Youth from different ethnic backgrounds;
  • Citizens of Kosovo.

Main implementer:

BIRN Kosovo

Partners:

Internews Kosova

Project associates:

Press Council of Kosova, TV Mreza Network and Gracanica Online

 

BIRN Albania Call for Investigations on Environmental Issues

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania launched a call for investigative stories on June 15, offering grants for four journalists to produce articles on topics related to environment.

The call is part of the project “Using Big Data and Multimedia to Boost Quality and Independent Journalism in Albania”, supported by the European Union.

The goal of the project is to create an enabling environment for Albanian journalists to produce independent content through training, mentoring, technical and financial support, and close cooperation with civil society, so improving freedom of expression and strengthening media pluralism in Albania.

The call is based on topics suggested by civil society activists and journalists during a joint workshop held on June 10 in Tirana.

The workshop was attended by two dozen civil society activists and journalists, who debated on important topics that should be investigated in the field of the environment as well as on the need to build stronger communication and cooperation between civil society organisations and journalists.

The journalists awarded through this call will have around three months to dig deeper and research their ideas and 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.

The call only applies to journalists from Albania and closes on July 5.

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

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

 

Call for applications: Final external evaluation of BIRN Kosovo project

BIRN Kosovo is seeking an evaluator/evaluation company to undertake a comprehensive overall evaluation of the results achieved in the project and provide recommendations for possible scaling up of the project.

Assignment reference: Undertake a comprehensive overall evaluation of results achieved in the project and provide recommendations for possible scaling up of the project.

Project reference: “Europeanisation of Kosovo’s Environmental Agenda”, funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo, and implemented by Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) Kosovo, CEE Bankwatch, Environmentally Responsible Action (ERA) Group, and Independent TV Network (TV Mreža).

Deadline for applications: 25/06/2022, at 17.00.

Call for applications

This call for applications is being published within the “Europeanisation of Kosovo’s Environmental Agenda” project, funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo, and implemented by BIRN Kosovo, CEE Bankwatch, ERA Group and TV Mreža.

Interested candidates or candidate companies must follow the information and guidelines as set out in the Terms of Reference provided below this call. The deadline for submitting applications is June 25, at 17:00, to [email protected] and [email protected].

Click the link below for Terms of Reference:

Terms of Reference

 

 

 

 

 

Meet the People Behind BIRN: Nicholas Watson

Each month, BIRN introduces you to a different member of its team. For June, meet Nicholas Watson, editor of Reporting Democracy.

Nicholas, 55, has been in journalism for more than 30 years. He started his carrier in Japan and continued in New York, London, Rome and Prague, where he has lived for the past 20 years.

As editor of Reporting Democracy, BIRN’s cross-border journalistic platform dedicated to exploring where democracy is headed across large parts of Europe, Nicholas says that journalism still excites him.

He is particularly keen to highlight Reporting Democracy’s new Travel and Reporting Programme for journalists, teams and media organisations from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

“I hope many aspiring or established journalists will take the opportunity to apply for these grants and, to paraphrase George Orwell, ‘print what someone else does not want printed; everything else is public relations’,” he says.

How did you start your career in journalism? 

I was actually teaching English as a foreign language in Hiroshima, Japan in the early 1990s when I was given a chance to write for a Tokyo-based international travel magazine, covering destinations, culture etc in the Far East. Through this I won the Pacific-Asia Travel Association’s (PATA) Grand Travel Story Award for 1993 for a story I did on Sumo wrestling and have never really looked back. I shifted my focus to hard news with a move to a global newswire a few years later, which took me from Tokyo to New York as a correspondent, then to London and Rome, followed by the Czech Republic about 20 years ago, where I’ve remained ever since.

When did you join BIRN and the Reporting Democracy project?

I joined BIRN in August 2020. I’d actually taken a break from journalism for a couple of years after selling my publication with my business partner at the time. I’d been doing some research and consultancy work in the interim, but it didn’t really excite me in the same way that the news business had, so when I was afforded the opportunity to get back into it with BIRN’s Reporting Democracy it was a great chance. The fact RD promotes freedom of speech, human rights and democratic values through investigations, features, analysis and interviews is what it makes it all the better – I’m honoured that they picked me to lead the network at such a crucial time for the region.

The news business can feel very cyclical, it waxes and wanes. When there’s lots of stories about and everyone is keen to write about them, it fills you with energy and hope. However, inevitably there are ‘down’ times, when there seems a dearth of stories to pursue, the stories don’t flow like they once had, there’s a feeling of discouragement in the air, and it can feel a little demotivating. It’s important to always remember the next big story is just around the corner. It’s important to stay positive, keep talking to people, keep looking into things – the stories are there, perhaps just a bit harder to find at times, and you need to dig a little deeper.

Can you choose one of your favourite reports, analysis pieces or investigations that really made a difference?

I would pick our series of pieces on the right-wing Polish government’s attempt to rally support in the region for replacing the Istanbul Convention (which attempts to combat violence against women) with an alternative treaty that aims to ban abortion and homosexual marriage, as really important. Led by Claudia Ciobanu, RD’s Poland correspondent, our people in the region found that the Polish Justice Ministry

had sent letters to at least four governments in the region (Croatia, Czechia, Slovakia and Slovenia) outlining their alternative treaty, which seemed to be based on an international family rights convention prepared by the Christian conservative Ordo Iuris Institute in cooperation with former Polish MEP Marek Jurek from the Christian Social Congress. This was an underhand, secretive attempt by one government in the region to undermine women’s rights elsewhere in the region that we exposed. Another important cross-border story we pursued included the opposition to the COVID-19 vaccination drives in CEE from a growing anti-vaccination movement that was being backed by the most conservative elements in the churches of the region.

Why did you decide to design and implement this new program? What do you want to achieve with the new Travel and Reporting Programme? 

Problems in countries tend to have their own characteristics but are usually universal: discrimination, oppression, misogyny, corruption, populism. As a journalist, it’s always important not to remain in your silo, but to explore how these problems manifest themselves in other parts of the world. Yet spending time abroad and reporting in-depth takes time and money. So, it is with this aim of fostering journalistic cooperation and exchanges of information between regions, in this case Central and Southeast Europe, that we are making available these travel and reporting grants, regional expertise as well as field support in countries where BIRN has offices (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia).

What are Reporting Democracy’s next plans? 

We have exciting grant stories coming up, investigating the conditions in refugee camps in Poland; systematic reform of enforcement and insolvency legislation in the Czech Republic as many fall further into debt; and the ‘defamation law’ in Poland that threatens freedom of speech, restricts civil liberties and has a freezing effect on the free media. We also began a series of podcasts, VoiCEE, together with our partner Notes From Poland, which you can access here. We will hopefully be looking into doing more of such podcasts.

 

 

BIRN Albania Holds Discussion on the Environment

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania held a roundtable discussion in Tirana about the environment on Friday June 10.

The event, which was attended by 31 journalists and representatives of civil society organisations working in the field of environmental protection.

This activity was part of the project ‘Using Big Data and Multimedia to Boost Quality and Independent Journalism in Albania’ co-funded by the European Union and Swedish government and implemented by BIRN.

The discussion was moderated by Ola Mitre, TV reporter with Albania’s SCAN television station.

The event produced lively debate about important topics that should be investigated in the field of the environment as well as the need to build stronger communication and cooperation between civil society organisations and journalists.

The main topics discussed included the impacts of hydro power plants and the protection of the Vjosa River, the impact on the health of the population from industrial pollution – particularly extractive industries, waste management, recycling and differentiation waste collection, the lack of capacities to monitor pollution, bans on single-use plastic bags, environmental impact assessments and environment crime.

The discussion will inform BIRN Albania’s upcoming call for an investigation on the topic of the environment.

 

 

European collaboration to boost media experimentation and innovation

Introducing Media Innovation Europe, an ambitious initiative to energize the European ecosystem for independent and local journalism

  • The programme is run by the International Press Institute, Thomson Foundation, the Media Development Foundation and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
  • It is open to news outlets in more than 35 countries in Europe, including EU member states, the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine
  • Support to media startups and established media in transition through accelerators and incubator programmes
  • Grants of up to €20,000 plus intensive cohort and one-on-one immersive training, mentoring and hackathons 
  • Access to industry leaders to help guide new journalism ideas, navigate new technology and adapt business models by deepening engagement with target audiences
  • Transition Accelerator, Deep-Dive Business Consultancies and Audience-Engaged Journalism Grant Scheme will launch their call for proposals in August 2022

From business consultancies and incubators to hackathons and accelerators, independent media outlets across Europe stand to benefit from a suite of opportunities offered under a bold new initiative designed to stimulate innovation, sustainable business models and collaboration.

Sign up for your Media Innovation Europe’s Newsletter here! 

Launched on 1 June 2022, Media Innovation Europe: Energizing the European Media Ecosystem is a two-year programme spearheaded by the IPI Global Network of editors, journalists, and media builders together with three non-profits committed to helping news organizations provide audiences with the independent journalism they need.

Led by the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI), the consortium brings together the Berlin-based Thomson Foundation, the Kyiv-based Media Development Foundation (MDF) and the Sarajevo-based Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN).

Together, they seek to empower media outlets as they navigate the digital transition, giving them the tools to align their journalistic products, business structures and means of discovery and distribution in a way that is audience-focused and sustainable.

“Through IPI’s network and our collaborating partners, Media Innovation Europe will transform media across the continent,” said Jacqui Park, IPI’s head of network strategy and innovation. “By mixing the global lessons of our network with the experimentations of some of the exciting new players and key innovators in  traditional media, it’s a key step in our shared journey to the new European media ecosystem.”

Responding to challenges

Supported by the European Commission, the initiative will pool the strengths of the consortium partners in mobilizing networks, running granting and mentoring programmes and supporting media innovation. Each has a deep understanding of the needs and challenges of European media at a time of transition.

“Professional and independent media need support and guidance towards modalities of operation that are more financially resilient to their unfriendly environments. We aim to encourage media outlets to think out of box, to design and test new business ideas and introduce new revenue streams. This could be done through two-way audience engagement, diversification of content and formats, as well as through side-businesses that relate to the core mission of beneficiary media,“ Davor Marko, Thomson Foundation manager for South East Europe and Central Europe. 

Media Innovation Europe aims to help news outlets overcome challenges ranging from broken business models and plummeting revenues to waning public trust, “state capture” of independent media and political pressures.

The programme recognises the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine  — not only in the immediate threats it poses to independent media in the country and region but also in the way the conflict aggravates pre-existing challenges.

“Being the most vulnerable to the fast-changing political and social environment, and by far the most challenged business sector, media often have to reserve their efforts for survival rather than development,” said Daryna Shevchenko, a member of the supervisory board of MDF, which will run “hackathons” as part of the programme. 

“Annual hackathon competitions are designed to create a safe space for media professionals to slow down, strategise, form long-term, cross-industry partnerships and make a leap in growth that they wouldn’t make otherwise.” 

By bringing together existing media and new players, the consortium believes partnerships created through Media Innovation Europe’s activities will contribute to a more innovative and sustainable ecosystem for European journalism.

Key activities 

Media Innovation Europe will roll out a variety of activities to meet the needs of the industry.

A six-month Transition Accelerator programme run by IPI and Deep-Dive Business Consultancies run by Thomson Foundation will offer targeted support to news organizations that are vital to media plurality in their region but may be struggling to survive.

These initiatives will draw on the rich experience of industry leaders from across Europe.

In addition, a six-month Emergent Incubator run by IPI will guide the launch and growth of promising media start-ups.

Teams accepted into the Transition Accelerator will be eligible for grants of up to €20,000 while teams accepted into the Emergent Incubator will be eligible for grants of up to €15,000. Grants of up to €10,000 will be available for outlets engaged with the business consultancy.

A Journalism Mentorship Scheme will also be on offer via IPI, linking media practitioners with one another to cover topics such as news product, audience strategies and business models.  

MDF’s annual hackathon competition will help participants come up with new ideas and solutions while offering opportunities for “radical collaboration” and exchange among media thinkers and builders from different backgrounds to help tackle journalism’s urgent challenges.

From each hackathon, three groups will get small grants to develop ideas and prototypes.

Meanwhile, BIRN will manage an audience-engaged journalism grant scheme to support innovative investigative journalism projects that embed audiences across the creative chain. 

“In a time of crisis, people turn to local news outlets to understand what’s happening,” BIRN Regional Director Marija Ristic said.

“And this was seen during the global pandemic when trust in local media increased. So the idea behind this project is to build upon that and use the power of tech to reach out to our audience and create content and coverage meaningful to our communities, that will not just be ‘for them’, but ‘with them’.” 

Participants of all the programmes will be selected by independent juries.

Networking opportunities

Media Innovation Europe is designed to take on a life of its own through its network. An annual summit will bring participants together and information hubs will distribute knowledge and best practices.

During the project and beyond, participants and other interested media entrepreneurs will have access to training tools and opportunities for exchanging ideas and building collaborations.

By sustaining a network of innovators, the initiative aims to be the first port of call for new and established media eager to challenge dated assumptions and transform Europe’s media landscape.

More details on each aspect of the project and the timing of calls for applications will follow shortly. 

Press contacts:

IPI: Ryan Powell, [email protected] 

Thomson Foundation: Davor Marko, [email protected]

MDF: Daryna Shevchenko, [email protected]

BIRN Network: Aida Ajanovic, [email protected]

 

BIRN’s Reporting Democracy Opens New Call for Travel and Reporting Programme

BIRN’s Reporting Democracy Travel & Reporting Programme is opening the call for journalists from the Visegrad region who have an interest on reporting from the Balkans to apply for the grant that covers expenses in the chosen field research.

Deadline for applications is June 30, 2022

Application for the grant:

Application for individual journalists and teams 

 

With the idea of fostering journalistic cooperation and exchanges of information between the two regions, we are providing travel and reporting grants, regional expertise as well as the field support in countries where BIRN has offices (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia).

Participation in the Travel & Reporting programme should result in the journalistic output published in the local media in applicant’s country, with the possibility of the content being republished on BIRN’s Reporting Democracy platform and in the local media in the Balkan region. By the journalistic output, we mean at least one in-depth article. Cross-border stories and serials of articles, as well as accompanying multimedia material (video, photo, radio /podcast) are encouraged.

General rules for call for applications:

Grants are available for journalists from Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia

Formal applicants can be:

  • individual journalist (working as part of newsroom structures as well as freelancers);
  • teams (e.g. reporter, producer, photographer, video editor);
  • media organisation.

A maximum of 5 grants will be awarded in this cycle

Amount of grant: EUR 2,500.00

Deadline for applications: June 30, 2022

Deadline for completion of the grant is December 31, 2022

Each applicant may submit only one application under this grant scheme.

Applications should include:

  • topic(s) that journalists would like to report about;
  • plans for visiting one or more countries of the Balkan region, with tentative timeline;
  • publishing and dissemination plan.

Eligible expenses include:

  • fees;
  • travel;
  • accommodation;
  • subsistence during the field work;
  • various production costs (translation, fixers, photographer, etc);

How to apply:

Applicants should use application form to apply for the Travel & Reporting programme. There are two types of application forms – for individual journalists and teams, and for media organisations.

Additional documentation can be submitted in the online format.

Application Form should be completed in English language.

Clarifications will only be requested when information provided is not sufficient to conduct an objective assessment.

The application must be submitted by 23:59 CET, on June 30, 2022 to the following address:

[email protected]

In case of additional inquires, please contact us.

Evaluation and selection:

Step I: Technical evaluation done by BIRN staff to ensure applicants followed application procedures and submitted all required documents.

Step II: Evaluation by editorial board will be done in order to select applicants based on evaluation criteria including:

  1. Quality of proposed idea;
  2. Feasibility of the proposed plan;
  3. Ability to reach public.

Step III: Notification of applicants.

Successful applicants will be notified by the end of July 2022.

 

BIRN Kosovo Holds Training on Labour Rights Violations

BIRN Kosovo organized a training with duty bearers, including police and labour inspectors and prosecutors, to strengthen their capacities to handle workplace injuries and other labour rights’ violations.

BIRN Kosovo on May 20 organised a training on labour rights violations in the framework of the EU-funded project “Protecting and promoting labour rights of vulnerable groups in the labour market”, which is implemented by ATRC and BIRN Kosovo.

The aim was to increase the capacities of duty bearers on dealing with cases of injuries at work and labour rights abuses, while also applying best practices to handling labour violations, especially criminal ones related to workplace injuries.

Three speakers with knowledge and expertise in the field delivered the training, which was divided into three parts.

In the first part, Agim Millaku, chief inspector of the Labour Inspectorate, spoke of the importance of securing key evidence in the event of workplace injuries.

He also highlighted the obligations that both employers and employees have to ensure a safe working environment, and listed types of work activities that can and cannot be done by certain categories of employees, including pregnant women and children under 18.

In the second part of the training, prosecutor Bekim Kodraliu spoke on the topic of criminal offences in the workplace. He provided an overview of the legal framework on criminal offences relating to employment relationships, noting that while Kosovo’s legal framework is the most advanced in the Balkans, it faces challenges in terms of effective implementation.

In the last part of the training, judge Nexhat Qallapeku discussed safety at work in the aspect of civil law, as well as the criminal procedures that can be followed in case of injuries in the workplace.

Among other topics discussed, Qallapeku touched on employers’ obligations to cover the medical costs of injured employees and the legal procedures that employees can follow if their employers fail to compensate them for their injuries.

The training was attended by 24 participants, including ten police investigators, three prosecutors and two labour inspectors, who came from different regions in Kosovo, including Peja, Prizren, Mitrovica, Gjilan and Podujeva.

 

BIRN Funds Projects to Research War Crime Case Archives

BIRN has awarded grants to 13 journalists, historians, artists and activists for projects exploring the archives of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and domestic courts in ex-Yugoslav countries that dealt with war crimes cases.

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network has selected 13 journalists, historians, artists and activists to receive grants to create small projects based on the archives of the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague and domestic courts in former Yugoslav countries.

The recipients of the grants will conduct research, collect documents and dig deeper into the courts’ archives in order to produce projects about issues of justice and the Yugoslav wars.

BIRN initially planned to fund ten small projects, but due to the large number of high-quality applications, decided to increase the number of grants and fund 13 grantees to explore court archives.

The projects will include journalistic pieces, educational workshops, research papers, a documentary film, audiovisual work and a visual project.

They will explore topics such as gender-based violence, memory, Roma war victims, witness testimonies, war crimes, sexual violence, the experience of women in war and the role of photography in prosecuting war crimes.

Nejra Mulaomerovic, programme associate at BIRN’s Balkan Transitional Justice programme, said that archives play an important role in ensuring that the past is properly documented.

“The archives themselves are not a guarantee of the non-recurrence of conflicts, but if they are used by various actors from different research and academic backgrounds, they can contribute to raising awareness and can be used as tools to spark dialogue and inspire others to continue their efforts to seek justice and truth,” Mulaomerovic said.

“With these grants, BIRN continues to support activists, artists, historians and journalists to increase knowledge about the role of archives in transitional justice processes,” she added.

The selected grantees will be working on the following projects:

Aline Cateux will research the cases of the Uborak and Sutina massacres and produce three journalistic articles.

Amer Alija will develop training and lectures for young journalists about how to research court archives for Kosovo war crimes.

Fortesa Kabashi will produce a research paper on Kosovo war victims’ testimonies at the Hague Tribunal related to sexual violence.

Hamza Karcic will explore the role of peace initiatives and mediators during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kate Powers will examine the consistency of national courts when evaluating witness testimonies in war crimes prosecutions.

Kumjana Novakova will produce a short audiovisual work tracing women’s experiences of violence in wartime.

Ljupka Mandic will map places of suffering of Roma victims in Kosovo.

Medina Delalic will analyse court testimonies related to the 1991 meeting in Karadjordjevo between Franjo Tudjman and Slobodan Milosevic.

Miodrag Kojadinovic will explore and analyse queer perspectives on the Hague Tribunal’s work.

Ron Haviv, Lauren Walsh and Srdjan Sarenac will produce a documentary telling the story of how one iconic photo of a war crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina created an impact in the quest for justice.

Sara Milenkovska will research the implications for reconciliation of gender-based violence in war crimes.

Selma Catovic Hughes will create a visual project exploring the topics of memory and time based on documented evidence, military reports and testimonies of the Sarajevo siege.

Una Sabljakovic will research the role of high-ranking Serbian State Security Officer Vasilije Mijovic and the Scorpions paramilitary group in the Yugoslav wars.

The grant scheme is a part of the Enhancing Accountability and Memorialisation Processes in the Balkans project, financed by the Matra Regional Rule of Law Programme, and is a part of BIRN’s Transitional Justice Programme, a regional initiative that aims to improve the general public’s understanding of transitional justice in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

Green Energy Days 2022 Comes to an End

Green Energy Days 2022 took place in various locations across Kosovo between May 16 and 22. The initiative included numerous activities, which have been followed up with TV broadcasts and articles.

Held for the second year in a row, Green Energy Days is aimed at providing a much-needed spotlight on the importance of energy efficiency, environmental protection and public health, especially to relevant officials.

BIRN Kosovo launched this year’s initiative with the release of “Helm n’ujë, Helm n’ajër” (Poison in the Water, Poison in the Air), a documentary produced by Ikonë Studio and Pixels Production. The launch event was hosted by BIRN Kosovo’s environmental journalist Drenushë Ramadani. It also welcomed several keynote speakers, such as deputy head of the European Union Office in Kosovo AnnaCarin Platon, producer at Ikonë Studio Valon Bajgora, executive director of the Active Citizens NGO Flutura Zymi and executive director of TV Mreža Mustafa Skenderi.

ERA Group organised two youth dialogue meetings on environmental protection with 109 young people from the municipalities of Peja and Gjakova. The sessions promoted good environmental practices and advocacy tools aimed at addressing pressing environmental issues.

One of the major events of Green Energy Days 2022 was the hosting of a high-level conference on May 19. Featuring three discussion panels, the conference brought together senior leaders and decision makers from around Kosovo and the region to discuss the Western Balkans’ green energy future as well as the challenges of decarbonisation. A new position paper on Kosovo’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which included 32 concrete recommendations on how to move the country towards an energy efficient and 100 per cent renewable economy, was also launched at the conference.

BIRN Kosovo’s executive director Jeta Xharra hosted the conference, which was opened by President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani and the EU Office in Kosovo’s AnnaCarin Platon. Speakers included the mayors of Prishtina, Tirana and Sarajevo, and environment and economy ministers from Kosovo and Albania, who discussed their respective green agendas. The Mayors of Prizren, Gjilan, Obiliq and Drenas closed the conference by discussing environmental issues in their respective municipalities.

An in-depth article on water and river pollution and a public service announcement on water pollution in the White Drin River were also published during Green Energy Days 2022, alongside short articles and news pieces promoting the initiative.

ERA Group closed Green Energy Days 2022 by organising a youth mobilisation activity with 30 young people from the municipality of Peja. Through this activity, participants had the opportunity to plant pine trees in their school garden, thereby greening the public space and promoting collective action amongst younger generations.

Green Energy Days is an initiative under the “Europeanisation of Kosovo’s Environmental Agenda” project, which is funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo and implemented by BIRN Kosovo, CEE Bankwatch, ERA Group and TV Mreža.
The Green Energy Days 2022 initiative was the second and final edition within the “Europeanisation of Kosovo’s Environmental Agenda” project.

This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of BIRN and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

 

Me Aktivitete të Shumta Përfunduan ‘Ditët e Energjisë së Gjelbër 2022’

‘Ditët e Energjisë së Gjelbër 2022’, u shënuan në lokacione të ndryshme anembanë Kosovës ndërmjet 16 dhe 22 majit. Nisma përfshinte aktivitete të shumta, për të cilat u raportua në lajme televizive dhe artikuj mediatikë.

Për të dytin vit radhazi, ‘Ditët e Energjisë së Gjelbër’ synuan të nxjerrin në pah sa me rëndësi është efiçienca e energjisë, mbrojtja e mjedisit dhe shëndeti publik, veçanërisht për zyrtarët përkatës.

BIRN Kosova filloi nismën e këtij viti me publikimin e “Helm n’ujë, Helm n’ajër”, një dokumentar që është produksion i Ikonë Studio dhe Pixels Production.

Aktiviteti i parë i këtij edicioni u drejtua nga gazetarja mjedisore e BIRN-it në Kosovë, Drenushë Ramadani.

Aty morën pjesë gjithashtu disa folës tjerë, si: AnnaCarin Platon – zëvendësshefe e Zyrës së Bashkimit Evropian në Kosovë, Valon Bajgora – producent në Ikonë Studio, Flutura Zymi – drejtore ekzekutive e OJQ-së Qytetarët Aktivë dhe Mustafa Skenderi – drejtor ekzekutiv i TV Mreža.

ERA-Group organizoi dy takime dialogu me të rinjtë për mbrojtjen e mjedisit, ku morën pjesë 109 të rinj nga komunat e Pejës dhe Gjakovës. Seancat promovuan praktikat e mira mjedisore dhe mjetet avokuese që synojnë adresimin e çështjeve urgjente mjedisore.

Një nga aktivitetet kryesore të ‘Ditëve të Energjisë së Gjelbër 2022’ ishte organizimi i një konference të nivelit të lartë më 19 maj. Me tre panele diskutimi, konferenca bëri bashkë udhëheqës të lartë dhe vendimmarrës nga e gjithë Kosova dhe rajoni për të diskutuar të ardhmen e energjisë së gjelbër në Ballkanin Perëndimor, si dhe sfidat e dekarbonizimit.

Në konferencë u prezantua gjithashtu një dokument i ri i pozicionit mbi Planin Kombëtar të Energjisë dhe Klimës (PKEK) për Kosovën, i cili përfshinte 32 rekomandime konkrete se si mund të lëvizë vendi drejt një ekonomie me efiçiencë të energjisë dhe me burime të energjisë në shkallë 100 për qind.

Drejtoresha ekzekutive e BIRN-it në Kosovë, Jeta Xharra, drejtoi konferencën, e cila u hap nga Presidentja e Kosovës Vjosa Osmani dhe zëvendësshefja e Zyrës së BE-së në Kosovë, AnnaCarin Platon. Folësit përfshinin kryetarin e komunës së Prishtinës dhe kryetarët e bashkive të Tiranës dhe të Sarajevës, si dhe ministrat e mjedisit dhe ekonomisë nga Kosova dhe Shqipëria, të cilët diskutuan për agjendat e tyre të gjelbëra. Kryetarët e komunave të Prizrenit, Gjilanit, Obiliqit dhe Drenasit e mbyllën konferencën duke diskutuar për çështjet mjedisore në komunat e tyre përkatëse.

Një artikull i thelluar mbi ndotjen e ujërave dhe lumenjve dhe një material me interes të përgjithshëm publik mbi ndotjen e ujit në lumin Drini i Bardhë u publikuan gjithashtu gjatë ‘Ditëve të Energjisë së Gjelbër 2022’, krahas artikujve të shkurtër dhe lajmeve që promovojnë nismën.

ERA-Group mbylli ‘Ditët e Energjisë së Gjelbër 2022’ duke organizuar një aktivitet mobilizimi rinor me 30 të rinj nga komuna e Pejës. Përmes këtij aktiviteti, pjesëmarrësit patën mundësinë të mbjellin pisha në kopshtin e shkollës së tyre, duke gjelbëruar hapësirën publike dhe duke promovuar aksionin kolektiv mes brezave të rinj.

‘Ditët e Energjisë së Gjelbër’ është një nismë në kuadër të projektit “Evropianizimi i agjendës mjedisore të Kosovës”, i cili financohet nga Zyra e Bashkimit Evropian në Kosovë dhe zbatohet nga BIRN Kosova, CEE Bankwatch, ERA-Group dhe TV Mreža.

Nisma ‘Ditët e Energjisë së Gjelbër 2022’ ishte edicioni i dytë dhe i fundit në kuadër të projektit “Evropianizimi i agjendës mjedisore të Kosovës”.

Ky publikim është botuar me mbështetjen financiare të Bashkimit Evropian. Përmbajtja e këtij publikimi është përgjegjësi e vetme e BIRN Kosova dhe në asnjë mënyrë nuk mund të paraqes pikëpamjet e Bashkimit Evropian.

 

Dani Zelene Energije 2022. Privedeni Kraju

Dani zelene energije 2022. održani su na različitim lokacijama širom Kosova, između 16. i 22. maja. Inicijativa je uključivala brojne aktivnosti, koje su propraćene TV prenosima i člancima.

Dani zelene energije, koji se održavaju drugu godinu za redom, imaju za cilj da, stave u žižu javnosti i ukažu na preko potrebnu važnost energetske efikasnosti, zaštite životne sredine i javnog zdravlja, posebno relevantnim zvaničnicima.

BIRN Kosovo pokrenuo je ovogodišnju inicijativu projekcijom filma „Helm n’ujë, Helm n’ajër” (Otrov u vodi, Otrov u vazduhu), dokumentarni film u produkciji Ikonë Studio i Pixels Production. Domaćin projekcije bila je novinarka BIRN Kosova koja izveštava o životnoj sredini, Drenushë Ramadani. Na ovoj prigodi, prisutnima se obratilo nekoliko glavnih govornika, kao što su zamenica šefa Kancelarije Evropske unije na Kosovu, AnnaCarin Platon, producent Ikonë Studija Valon Bajgora, izvršni direktor NVO Aktivni građani Flutura Zymi i izvršni direktor TV Mreže, Mustafa Skenderi.

Organizacija ERA Group je organizovala dva dijaloga sa mladima na temu zaštite životne sredine sa 109 mladih iz opština Peć i Đakovica. Na sesijama su promovisane dobre prakse zaštite životne sredine i alati za zagovaranje usmereni na rešavanje hitnih pitanja životne sredine.

Jedan od glavnih događaja Dana zelene energije 2022. bilo je održavanje konferencije na visokom nivou 19. maja. Sa tri panela za diskusiju, konferencija je okupila lidere i donosioce odluka sa celog Kosova i iz regiona, kako bi razgovarali o budućnosti zelene energije na zapadnom Balkanu, kao i o izazovima dekarbonizacije. Na konferenciji je takođe predstavljen novi pozicioni dokument o Nacionalnom energetskom i klimatskom planu Kosova (NEKP), koji je uključivao 32 konkretne preporuke namenjene Kosovu kako bi krenulo u pravcu privrede stopostotno bazirane na obnovljivim izvorima energije.

Izvršna direktorka BIRN Kosova, Jeta Xharra, bila je domaćin konferencije koju su otvorili predsednica Kosova, Vjosa Osmani i zamenica šefa Kancelarije EU na Kosovu, AnnaCarin Platon. Među govornicima su bili gradonačelnici Prištine, Tirane i Sarajeva, te ministri životne sredine i privrede sa Kosova i iz Albanije, koji su govori o svojim zelenim agendama. Predsednici opština Prizren, Gnjilane, Obilić i Glogovac su zatvorili konferenciju diskusijom o pitanjima životne sredine u njihovim opštinama.

Detaljan članak o zagađenju vode i reka i javno saopštenje o zagađenju vode u reci Beli Drim takođe su objavljeni tokom Dana zelene energije 2022, zajedno sa kratkim člancima i vestima koji promovišu inicijativu.

ERA Group je zaključila Dane zelene energije 2022. organizovanjem aktivnosti animiranja mladih sa 30 mladih iz opštine Peć. Ovom aktivnošću, učesnici su imali priliku da zasade borove u svojoj školskoj bašti, ozelenjavajući na taj način javni prostor i promovišući kolektivno delovanje među mladim pokolenjima.

Dani zelene energije su inicijativa u okviru projekta „Evropeizacija kosovske agende za zaštitu životne sredine“, koji finansira Kancelarija Evropske unije na Kosovu, a realizuju BIRN Kosovo, CEE Bankwatch, ERA Group i TV Mreža.
Inicijativa Dani zelene energije 2022. bila je drugo i poslednje izdanje u okviru projekta „Evropeizacija kosovske agende za zaštitu životne sredine“.

Ovaj tekst je objavljen uz podršku Evropske unije na Kosovu. Sadržaj teksta je isključiva odgovornost BIRN Kosovo i ne predstavlja nužno stavove Evropske unije na Kosovu.