Category: News and Events

Training in Audience Engaged Journalism Grants held for Visegrad and Western Balkan Journalists

Nineteen journalists joined the online training delivered by international and regional experts in audience engagement.

A four-day online training was held on January 21 to 24 for a new cycle of grantees in Audience-Engaged Journalism. The grants are part of the Media Innovation Europe MEI project: Independence Through Sustainability.

This two-year initiative is led by the International Press Institute (IPI) and its partners: The Fix Foundation, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), and Thomson Media (TM).

The programme provides business needs assessments and personalised advisory, grants, training, hackathons and mentorship to media managers and journalists working in newsrooms that are moving towards a full digital transition.

BIRN’s role in MIE is to advance audience engagement using the BE-engaged tool, a specially designed tool to crowdsource input from citizens and engage them in journalistic reporting.

During the first cycle of grants, 19 participants from nine media outlets in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, North Macedonia and Serbia attended training delivered by international and regional experts in audience engagement.

During the first day, Ariana Tobin, an award-winning editor of ProPublica, a New York-based organisation specialized in engagement journalism, introduced participants to ways of engaging citizens. She focused on the “reporting cycle” of engagement stories and crowdsourcing “when you have a fair reason to do it”.

“Engagement reporting, crowdsourcing is creating a space for sources to share information they have been collecting, that has been part of their own life, and we hope it will have an impact – by impact, something in the world changes for the better,” she said.

Paul Myles, co-director of On Our Radar, explored their toolkit, designed to break barriers that prevent communities from sharing their knowledge, experiences, and concerns.

On Our Radar builds networks to report about underrepresented communities, supporting organisations to be more participatory in their work, to achieve “an equal exchange of skills and knowledge between the producer and the person with lived experience”.

“We see collaboration as truly equal. The communities we are working with bring access and deep knowledge of the story from living really close to it. They bring more authenticity when telling that story, connect with the audience, and bring alternative viewpoints which we may not have considered,” Myles said.

The third and fourth days saw regional trainers Katarina Zrinjski, Besar Likmeta and Gyula Csak, discuss BIRN’s particular method of engagement using a specialized tool and callouts inviting communities to share their experiences.

Milica Stojanovic and Karla Junicic demonstrated the specific usage of BIRN’s tool for audience engagement, designed to collect experiences and analyse crowdsourced results to find the best storytelling approach.

Participants learned how to design callouts that invite people to share their stories, how to create safe spaces for community input, and how to transform crowdsourced experiences into stories following analysis.

Grantees will continue their work under BIRN’s mentorship, shaping their reporting into collaborative and audience-driven storytelling.

BIRN Albania Trains CEC Staff on Monitoring Media in Elections

Training equips participants with ways to identify campaign-related financial spending on social media, detect disinformation and address hate speech and unethical practices.

On January 16, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania (BIRN Albania) held a specialized training session for the Central Election Commission (CEC) Administration on the monitoring of social and online media during electoral campaigns.

The training drew on in-depth data and findings from BIRN Albania’s monitoring of the last two electoral cycles, providing a data-driven perspective on challenges, trends and best practices in monitoring election campaigns in Albania.

The session emphasized the importance of media monitoring in ensuring transparency and accountability during elections. Using lessons taken from past elections, participants were equipped with knowledge on identifying campaign-related financial spending on social media, detecting disinformation and addressing hate speech and unethical practices.

Key topics covered included:

  1. Social Media Algorithms and Campaign Trends – Analysis of how algorithms influence the reach and visibility of campaign content.
  2. Monitoring Political Ads and Campaign Messaging – Practical tools for tracking and analyzing campaign expenditures and communication strategies on digital platforms.
  3. Transparency in Electoral Campaign Finances – Based on insights from the 2023 financial reports analysis, this explored the challenges of identifying discrepancies in reported financial data, undeclared expenditures on campaign advertisement and hidden funding practices by political parties.
  1. Identifying Electoral Disinformation and Misinformation – Strategies for detecting and countering misleading narratives related to the integrity of electoral processes.
  2. Ethical and Legal Considerations in Monitoring – Discussion on safeguarding personal data and adhering to ethical standards during monitoring.

Participants also examined international best practices and the role of third parties in ensuring fair and transparent elections. The training highlighted how data transparency, particularly in campaign finances, is a cornerstone of democratic accountability, underscoring the importance of rigorous oversight in this area.

Particular attention was given to ethics and personal data protection during media monitoring, ensuring that monitoring activities align with both legal frameworks and ethical standards.

In preparation for the parliamentary elections due on May 11, the CEC is intensifying efforts to enhance its campaign monitoring processes. A Special Structure is being established to ensure compliance with international recommendations and best practices, with consultations ongoing among civil society and key electoral stakeholders.

BIRN Albania’s training is a step forward in equipping the CEC Administration with the tools and knowledge it needs for effective oversight of online and social media during election campaigns, ensuring transparency and accountability in the democratic process.

This training builds on the findings from BIRN Albania’s monitoring of the 2023 local elections. Participants were encouraged to refer to the following reports for a deeper understanding:

  • Social Media Monitoring: Local Elections 2023 in Albania (download the report in Albanian or English language)
  • Audiovisual Media Monitoring: Local Elections 2023 in Albania (download the report in Albanian or English language)
  • Analysis of the Financial Reports of Electoral Subjects on the 2023 Electoral Campaign (download the report in Albanian or English language)

These reports provide invaluable insights into the media and financial aspects of electoral campaigns in Albania and serve as key resources for the effective monitoring and oversight of future elections.

Meet the People Behind BIRN: Ivana Pavlovic

Ivana joined BIRN in January 2024. She is responsible for the management, coordination and oversight of BIRN’s business operations, focusing on for-profit projects and activities implemented through BIRN Ltd, whose revenue feeds the campaigning needs of BIRN Hub.

Her professional path has been very interesting: from gaining a BA degree in journalism and an MA in Economic Analysis and Politics to working as an economic journalist, a deputy general manager at Business Info Group, publisher of the business news outlet Nova ekonomija, among other things, and now Head of Strategic Planning at BIRN Ltd.

Let’s meet her!

1. You graduated from the Department of Journalism and Communicology at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade. After that, you were awarded an MA in Economic Analysis and Politics at the Faculty of Economics. What attracted you to this economic aspect?

Money makes the world go round. Once you understand where the money flows and where it comes from, it’s easier to grasp how processes in society work.

Economic journalism is challenging because you often need to break down complex and sometimes boring topics, and make them interesting and easy to understand for everyone, both regular readers and fellow journalists. To do that well, you need to keep learning and stay up to date.

That said, covering economic topics is also a privilege. I’ve had the chance to meet people whose business ideas are changing the world, who are not only feeding their own families but providing for hundreds of others. These are the people whose decisions can shape your future, your community, and even the world.

That said, I’m not here to back big corporations or wealthy capital owners. I believe in business models that give workers both responsibilities and rights. Workers should have a chance to use their creativity, ideas and knowledge to make new products and earn more and also have more time for their personal lives. I support an egalitarian-liberal approach where the state and companies support vulnerable groups – those who are sick, disabled, or unable to work fully due to life’s circumstances.

2. Can you explain what BIRN Ltd is?

BIRN Ltd is the commercial side of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN). It was founded in 2007 to develop and manage commercial products that support BIRN’s editorial and campaigning work, like the Balkan Insight news portal.

BIRN Ltd handles the paid services that Balkan Insight offers, which fall into two main areas. First, there’s the editorial content, which includes analysis, commentary, interviews, and profiles on the latest political and business developments in the region. Then there’s the consultancy side, where our analysts track and analyze political, economic, security, social and human rights issues in the region, including the influence of foreign powers. One of our key consultancy products is the Western Balkans Stability Monitor, which has been running since December 2018.

3. Who are the users and subscribers to these paid services and consultancy products?

Our subscribers are all personally or professionally connected to the Balkans – students, diplomats, the donor community, the corporate sector, top universities around the world, and more.

BIRN Consultancy offers analysis, advice, and corporate investigation services with a focus on the Balkans.

We give our clients detailed insights into political, security and economic developments across the region, whether for the whole of the Balkans or specific countries. Everything is customized to their needs. With a network of analysts embedded throughout the region, we’re always plugged into the latest information at its source. This means we don’t just explain what’s happening; we also help our clients understand the risks and opportunities ahead.

4. What are your favourite – and least favourite – parts of being Head of Strategic Planning at BIRN Ltd?

One of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to ensure the long-term sustainability of our organisation and to invest more in journalism. Every day brings new uncertainties, especially with things like the rise of “foreign agent” laws across Europe. Authoritarian governments use these to discredit independent media; they’re a real threat to democracy, media freedom and civil society.

On the flip side, it’s a privilege to promote and support top-notch investigative and analytical journalism in the Balkans. Just mentioning BIRN is enough to make people stand up and recognise its importance. If you want to learn more about the Balkans, BIRN is the first choice for anyone, no matter where they are in the world.

5. What are the plans for BIRN Ltd?

The premium service we offer is helping us make Balkan Insight more sustainable. But we’re not stopping there, we want to keep growing. We plan to expand our consultancy offerings, improve our subscription system and grow our reader base. We also want to introduce more consultancy products to better meet the needs of our clients all over the world and provide a stable income for our work.

BIRN Montenegro Urges Tighter Control of Public Officials’ Crypto Assets

On December 30, BIRN Montenegro urged the country’s Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) to enhance oversight of public officials’ ownership of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.

In a formal initiative addressed to the Agency’s Council and its interim director, Dušan Drakić, BIRN Montenegro raised concerns about the lack of available information on the value of digital assets in public officials’ asset declarations.

“Given the increasing popularity of cryptocurrencies among public officials and their potential as an effective mechanism to conceal assets, we call on the Agency’s Council to organise a thematic session with Agency staff and other stakeholders as soon as possible. The aim is to improve this area before the deadline for submitting annual reports on the income and assets of public officials,” the initiative stated.

BIRN Montenegro has called for the introduction of a specific section titled “Digital Assets” in officials’ asset declaration forms, requiring them to disclose the type, name, quantity and market value of any cryptocurrencies they own.

The initiative would require officials to provide statements from all digital wallets they hold and stipulate proceedings against officials who fail to report digital assets, as mandated by the Law on Prevention of Corruption.

BIRN Montenegro called on the Agency to publish detailed reports on the types, quantities and values of digital assets owned by public officials after the completion of these procedures.

BIRN Montenegro’s analysis of the asset declarations of six public officials revealed that only Deputy Prime Minister Niko Gjeloshaj provided precise information about the value of his assets.

Prime Minister Milojko Spajic, Minister of Spatial Planning, Urbanism, and State Assets Slaven Radunovic, Minister of Mining, Oil, and Gas Admir Sahmanovic, and the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Branko Krvavac, failed to specify the types or quantities of cryptocurrencies they own.

Opposition MP Illir Capuni disclosed the type of cryptocurrency he owns but not its quantity.

BIRN Montenegro emphasized the need for reforms to ensure transparency and accountability in the declaration of digital assets, to prevent the misuse of cryptocurrencies by public officials to conceal their assets.

Open Call: Digital Rights Monitor from Croatia

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is a network of non-governmental organisations promoting freedom of speech, human rights and democratic values in Southeast and Central Europe.

Established in 2005, it was created to promote peace and justice through high quality journalism and capacity building. The organisation has expanded its work, focusing on accountability, transparency, justice and freedoms in post-conflict societies, promoting reform-driven approaches.

With local organisations across the Balkans and an editorial presence in other countries, BIRN is dedicated to empowering people to access their rights, providing accurate information, and fostering democratic processes.

BIRN Hub is the umbrella entity that coordinates the work of the BIRN Network. While each country organisation addresses domestic needs, BIRN Hub, registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina, implements regional programmes.

BIRN Hub’s Digital Rights Monitoring Activity is grounded in human rights and democratic principles, reflecting BIRN’s commitment to media freedom, the rule of law, transparency, transitional justice, internet freedom and victims’ rights.  In 2019, BIRN spearheaded the creation of the Balkan Investigative Resource Desk which, among other things, features a platform for identifying, monitoring, documenting, and analyzing digital rights violations across ten countries in the region.

The infrastructure for monitoring digital rights includes more than a dozen monitors located in monitored countries who oversee a multilingual region where digital rights violations extend beyond the borders of any single country.

We are inviting an individual with a keen interest in digital rights to work within our Digital Rights Programme as Digital Rights Monitor for Croatia. Join us in advocating for and safeguarding digital rights and liberties in your country.

Job Description

As Digital Rights Monitor for Croatia, you will keep a close watch on the state of digital rights within your country, as your observations of digital rights violations and legislative changes will greatly inform our monitoring and advocacy efforts.

Your main task will be to identify and meticulously document rights violations each month, providing the foundation for our broader analysis. Besides this, you will be part of a larger team of digital rights monitors from nine other countries and engage in cross-regional teamwork, enriching our collective understanding and response to digital rights issues.

Your work will contribute to regional and country-specific reports, articles, investigations, research, policy briefs and similar, offering your unique perspective and analysis to a wider audience. By tracking legislative changes in the field of digital rights in Croatia, you will also greatly contribute to our advocacy efforts and overall strategy for improving digital rights within the projects of our Digital Rights Programme.

Minimum Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree in journalism, digital rights, law, media studies, or a similar field is required, along with a proven interest and experience in working on human and/or digital rights projects as well as in research, writing and analytical work.

Application Process

To apply for the position, please use this ECR form to submit your application by January 25, 2025. Please include:

  • Your resume, with an emphasis on your past work in journalism, digital rights or similar field.
  • Cover letter, outlining your motivation to join our team and general interest in digital rights.

BIRN is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, regardless of race, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, or other personal characteristics (s). BIRN believes that diversity and inclusion among our team members are critical to our success as an organisation, and we seek to recruit and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

 

BIRN Macedonia Presents Findings on Digital Rights Violations

On December 23, BIRN Macedonia’s team met with experts and government representatives to discuss digital rights in the country.

At the consultative meeting, BIRN’s senior journalist, Goce Trpkovski, presented recommendations based on findings from a two-year monitoring period.

Trpkovski showcased the most significant violations of digital rights and the patterns that have emerged, noting that BIRN recorded 501 violations from 2022 until the end of 2024, including hate speech, crypto currency scams and misuse of AI to create fake sexual content of girls.

Trpkovski presented BIRN’s recommendations for improving the digital rights situation in three categories: urgent, medium-term and long-term recommendations.

BIRN received feedback from a number of experts from the non-governmental sector, including the Research Institute RESIS, Internet Governance Forum, Media Development Center, Helsinki Committee of Human Rights, Metamorphosis foundation, as well as from the Personal Data Protection Agency, the sector for cybercrime within the police.

BIRN Kosovo Holds Training on Property Rights and Registration

BIRN Kosovo organised one-day trainings over December in Prishtina, Prizren, Mitrovica, Gjilan and Ferizaj for journalists, public relations officers and influencers on property rights and procedures for property registration.

During December, 80 participants have taken part in the five municipalities.

The first part of the training addressed common property problems and the legal bases that regulate property issues.

The second part of the training focused on changes to the Cadastre Law and the management of Cadastre Offices, the right of access to property information and the provision of information on property matters relating to the Law on Privacy and the Law on Cadastre.

Session leaders were Kreshnik Gashi, editor-in-chief at KALLXO.com and Labinot Leposhtica, a legal expert.

BIRN will hold similar trainings in Peja and Gjakova over December.

The sessions are aimed at developing the capacity of journalists, influencers and local media – including editors and public relations officers as well as communication officers – on the new Law on Cadastre, contracts for the purchase and sale of movable real estate, the procedures for property registration and reporting on these issues.

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.

Call for Journalists and Editors From Western Balkans: Additional Place on One-Month Regional Exchange Programme

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is pleased to announce that it is seeking a journalist or editor for an additional place on its exclusive one-month regional exchange programme.

This call invites journalists and editors from Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia) to apply and take part in the exchange in Montenegro. The programme offers a unique opportunity for participants to familiarize themselves with different newsrooms across the region, enabling them to acquire new skills and expertise in investigative news production while fostering knowledge exchange among their peers.

ABOUT THE EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

The One-Month Regional Exchange Programme is a capacity-building opportunity for media, editors and journalists from the Western Balkans to facilitate the production of quality news and an investigative production environment, enabling both parties to engage in knowledge exchange, comprehensive mentoring and cross-border approaches.

WHO IS IT DESIGNED FOR?

The exchange programme is designed for both media and editors/journalists from the Western Balkan countries. It creates opportunities for the host media to share their knowledge with colleagues from other media in the Western Balkan region. It provides an opportunity for editors/journalists to spend one month immersed in a host media distinct from their country of origin while at the same time working together.

WHO CAN APPLY?

Journalists/editors from five (5) Western Balkan countries may apply to this call.

To apply for the programme, they must meet the following criteria:

1. Be a resident of one of the five Western Balkans countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia).
2. Have at least three years track record of working in journalism sector.
3. Demonstrate a strong motivation and commitment to participation in the exchange programme.
4. Availability to spend one month in a host media located in Montenegro, distinct from her/his country of residence, in 2025.

Within this call, one (1) journalist/editor will be selected in accordance with the predefined selection criteria and will have an opportunity to work with the Centar za istraživačko novinarstvo Crne Gore (Centre for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro – CIN CG), which is the host media for this call.

BENEFITS AND LOGISTICS FOR THE JOURNALISTS/EDITORS

BIRN will cover the travel, accommodation, and bursary costs for the selected journalists/editors.

HOW TO APPLY?

Please share your interest through filling in the application form in English language by January 16 (Thursday).

More information about the call can be found here.

Montenegro Parliament Examines BIRN Report on Energy Companies’ Spending

Anti-Corruption Committee holds hearing with minister and energy company heads to discuss report’s key findings.

On December 18, BIRN Montenegro presented its monitoring report on the expenditure of funds in state-owned energy companies to parliament’s Anti-Corruption Committee.

Based on the report, the committee organised a hearing with the Minister of Energy, Sasa Mujovic, and with the heads of state-owned energy companies: Montenegrin Electric Power Company, EPCG, Montenegrin Electricity Distribution System, CEDIS, Montenegrin Electricity Transmission System, EPCG, the Coal Mine Pljevlja and EPCG – Steel Plant Niksic.

The committee adopted a conclusion urging all the energy companies to implement more reforms, invest in modernization and renewable energy and pursue innovative projects while emphasizing transparency, accountability and anti-corruption mechanisms.

BIRN Montenegro director Vuk Maras said that state-owned power companies have demonstrated a lack of transparency in their hiring practices and in the allocation of donations and sponsorships.

“In monitored state-owned companies, employment increased by 1,500 workers between 2021 and 2023, while annual salary expenses rose from €73 million to €115 million.

“Sponsorships and donations, which stood at €929,000 in 2019 and 2020, jumped to €1.4 million in 2021 and €1.9 million in 2022,” Maras said.

Minister of Energy Sasa Mujovic called the BIRN report a good basis for analyzing the operations of state-owned companies, urging managements to demonstrate greater transparency and control expenses related to donations and sponsorships.

The minister said he had forwarded some of BIRN’s recommendations to the managements of state-owned companies.

BIRN Kosovo Presents Report on Challenges to Terrorism Prevention Strategy

New report looks at national counter-terrorism strategy and assesses whether early intervention mechanisms are working.

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Kosovo, BIRN Kosovo, has published a new report, “Challenges of Terrorism Prevention Mechanisms in Kosovo”, presenting Kosovo’s problems in preventing and combating extremism and terrorism.

The analysis is supported by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, GCERF, as part of the Resilient and Inclusive Community Programme.

The report looks at implementation of the national strategy and examines the development of an early intervention system to protect individuals at risk of radicalization and assesses the impact of government and non-government efforts in preventing violent extremism.

The findings of the report are the result of six months of research and monitoring work in 26 municipalities, including interviews with relevant stakeholders in Kosovo.

Speakers at the launch were: Xhelal Sveçla, Minister of Interior and National Coordinator for the State Strategy for Preventing and Combating Terrorism; Khalid Koser, founder and director of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, GCERF, Kreshnik Gashi, editor-in-chief of KALLXO.com, and Labinot Leposhtica.

“Kosovo has joined global coalitions in combating terrorism. Kosovo has taken responsibility for repatriating individuals from Syria, rehabilitating them, and reintegrating them into society. One of the main pillars of our five-year strategy 2023-2028 is the inclusion of local mechanisms and civil society,” Sveçla said.

Koser of GCERF complimented the methods used for the report, such as surveys and interviews, saying: “I believe the methodology makes this a legitimate report that we should take seriously.”

Gashi, editor at Kallxo.com, highlighted the importance of cooperation between civil society and the government in achieving meaningful implementation of the strategy as well as the impact of concrete actions and measures on progressing the situation in Kosovo.

The author of the report, Labiot Leposhtica, noted: “The majority of municipalities, 20 out of 26, reported serious problems in understanding the strategic document (National Strategy). This is a significant issue because the consequences are collateral.”

The 60 participants at the event, 19 of whom were women, included individuals from both central and local government, experts, diplomats, members of religious communities and media representatives.

The report is accessible online here:

AL: Sfidat e mekanizmave të parandalimit të terrorizmit në Kosovë

SRB: Izazovi mehanizma za suzbijanje terorizma na Kosovu

ENG: Challenges of Terrorism Prevention Mechanisms in Kosovo

This activity formed part of the Resilient and Inclusive Community Programme, funded by GCERF.