Category: News and Events

BIRN Launches Call for ‘Paper Trail for Better Governance IV’ Project Evaluation

This evaluation is commissioned as part of Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with funds of the Austrian Development Cooperation commitment to strategic learning, accountability, and the promotion of good governance in the Western Balkans.

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is the leading independent non-governmental organisation in the Western Balkans, specialising in media development, investigative journalism, and public sector oversight. Established in 2004, BIRN operates as a network of NGOs dedicated to promoting freedom of expression, human rights, and democratic values across South-Eastern and Central Europe.

BIRN is active in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia, and maintains an editorial presence in Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia.

BIRN Kosovo is the network’s largest member, with 47 staff members. Founded in 2005, its core mission is to inform citizens and support Kosovo’s democratic transition by promoting accountability, the rule of law, and policy reform through professional investigative journalism. In October 2013, BIRN Kosovo and BIRN HUB partnered in what became the first phase of the Paper Trail to Better Governance which is currently in the fourth phase of implementation supported by Austrian Development Agency (ADA) since its initial phase in 2012.

The primary objective of the project throughout all phases of implementation is to advance good governance, transparency, accountability, and the responsiveness of public institutions to freedom of information in the Western Balkans. In 2023 BIRN Kosovo, in partnership with BIRN HUB, secured EUR 1,007,000 in funding from the ADA for a three-year project (Phase IV implementing period September 2023-August 2026) aimed at building on the impact, achievements, and lessons learned from the three phases of BIRN’s “A Paper Trail to Better Governance” initiative. The Paper Trail to Better Governance IV project is a cross-regional initiative that supports the European Commission’s membership requirements by promoting the rule of law, accountable governance, and an independent judiciary in the Western Balkans.

Purpose and objectives of the mid-term evaluation

BIRN is commissioning an external midterm evaluation of its Action. Conducted for both BIRN and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), this evaluation aims to assess progress to date and guide the continued implementation of the Action. It will offer an independent analysis of current achievements, ongoing challenges, and lessons learned so far.

The evaluation’s primary purpose is learning and as such to deliver evidence-based findings, conclusions and recommendations to help refine BIRN’s programs, strategies, and activities during the remainder of the implementation period. Additionally, the evaluation will provide evidence to inform decisions on the potential future continuation and/or scaling up of the initiative.

The evaluation will focus on following primary objectives:

  • To assess the project’s relevance, effectiveness, impact and prospects for sustainability
  • To provide practical, evidence-based recommendations that will help enhance ongoing and future implementation and decision making at strategic and operational level.

The main user of the evaluation results will be BIRN. The insights generated are expected to strengthen BIRN’s impact, improve its operations, and inform its strategic direction beyond the current project. They are expected to be also relevant for other civil society organizations, donors, and development partners pursuing similar objectives in transparency, accountability, and good governance.

Scope of the evaluation

This external evaluation shall be carried in accordance with the ADA Guidelines for Programme and Project Evaluations. It is conducted during the second year of the three-year project and will generally cover the time period from September 2023, the start of phase IV of the project to the end of the data collection for this evaluation. For the assessment of impact, the evaluation will, however, also rely on evidence generated during previous phases of implementation.

In terms of geographic scope, it will encompass implementation in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as all the Western Balkan countries (Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia). While data collection in the field will be conducted primarily in Pristina, Kosovo and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the engagement with stakeholders across the broader Western Balkan region will be conducted remotely.

The evaluation will cover all components of the project. It will assess the types of support, approaches and strategies applied and their role in results’ achievement and identify related lessons learned. The evaluation team is expected to review the project’s intervention logic and if needed suggest improvements.

Given that ADA has supported BIRN through several interconnected projects aimed at achieving long-term goals, this evaluation presents a unique opportunity to partially assess the broader impact of that support, beyond the results of individual project phases.

Evaluation Questions

Relevance

  1. To what extent has the project’s relevance changed over the implementation period, in particular with a view to changes in the context (including, but not limited to recent US funding cuts)?;
  2. How has the project adapted its approach or priorities in response to the changing context?

Effectiveness

  1. How has the project contributed to training and empowering its target groups, particularly journalists and to what extent have the trained journaliss
  2. applied their acquired skills within their workplaces?
  3. How have other media outlets in the region engaged with BIRN’s capacity building efforts and with what results?
  4. What were the key factors — both positive and negative — that influenced the achievement or non-achievement of the project’s objectives?

Impact

  1. To what extent has the project contributed to reducing corruption and increasing transparency in the Western Balkans?
  2. What have been hindering and facilitating factors for impact?

9. Sustainability

What is the likelihood that results generated by the project will continue after its completion and what have been hindering and facilitating factors for sustainability (internal and external)?

Design and Approach

The evaluation shall apply a mixed-methods approach, combining:

  • Document review
  • Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina in-person; online with representatives based in other countries.

Data collection, analysis and reporting must Gender-sensitive and inclusive data disaggregation.

The evaluation will proceed in several phases, aimed at collecting data and answering the evaluation questions outlined in Chapter 4:

  • Contracting and Kick-off Meeting: The kick-off meeting will take place only after the contract between BIRN and the selected bidder has been signed. Prior to the meeting, project documentation, annexes, and reports submitted to ADA will be shared with the evaluation team to allow for an initial review. The meeting will then serve to clarify any outstanding issues and finalize roles as needed.
  • Desk Research and Documentation Analysis: The Evaluation Team will review all relevant existing data, including but not limited to project documentation
  • Preliminary interviews: preliminary interviews can be held with n introductory (hybrid) meeting with the project and editorial teams will focus on project management, coordination, and available resources.
  • Inception Report: The Evaluation Team will prepare an Inception Report outlining the detailed evaluation design, methods, tools, work plan, deliverables, timelines, and mitigation strategies, following the structure in Annex 5 (“Quality Checklist for Inception Reports”). As part of the Inception Report, the Evaluation Team will draft an Evaluation Matrix, aligned with Annex 7 of the ADA PP Evaluation Guidelines, see ibid, p. 51).
  • Field Visits and Hybrid Meetings: In-person interviews and focus groups will be conducted in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with online consultations for stakeholders based in the wider region and beyond.
  • Debriefing and Presentation of preliminary findings: After the end of the data collection, the evaluation team will provide an overview of the data collection and stakeholder inclusion and present the preliminary findings conclusions as well as preliminary recommendations to BIRN and ADA (online/hybrid meeting).
  • Evaluation report (draft and final): The draft evaluation report will be submitted to BIRN for formal written feedback (BIRN, ADA), finalized by the evaluation team after consideration of the feedback and approved by BIRN.
  • Presentation of the Final Evaluation Report: The final evaluation report will be presented to an audience selected by BIRN and ADA, in a hybrid format.

Proposed methods:

For the different phases of the evaluation, the Evaluation Team will collect data and information using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including:

  • Desk research and document analysis of key project materials, reports, and annexes previously submitted to ADA and BIRN;
  • Structured and semi-structured interviews conducted through face-to-face or online meetings with approximately 10 stakeholders, including project staff, implementing partners, and institutional stakeholders. These interviews will take place across three primary locations: Prishtina, Sarajevo, Tirana. [Location A], [Location B], and [Location C];
  • At least one focus group discussion (FGD) with 8 youth participants who completed the internship programme, ideally conducted in-person in Prishtina, Kosovo or online if

This approach will inform the estimation of working days required for primary data collection in the workplan.

All data collected needs to be disaggregated by sex, ethnicity and where feasible also in terms of disability. It is expected that the Evaluation Team will present concrete recommendations which are addressed to the specific stakeholders. In addition, all research questions should be addressed paying attention to gender, social and environmental issues.

The Evaluation Team needs to base its work and methods in line with the Guidelines for Project and Programme Evaluations  developed by the Austrian Development Agency and OECD DAC norms need to be considered throughout the entire evaluation process (found at: https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/Evaluierung/Evaluierungs_Leitfaeden/Guidelines_for_Programme_and_Project_Evaluations_ADA_2020.pdf).

Expected outputs and deliverables/Report(s)

 Inception Report

  • Inception report (approx. 10-15 pages) containing appropriate methodology to be applied during the mid-term evaluation, as well as the work plan to be used during the course of the assignment is drafted, submitted, and approved by BIRN. Report must be in line with the Annex 5: Quality Checklist for Inception Report (IR), 46 and 47;

Evaluation Report

All reports need to be written in English.

Workplan

The assignment is estimated to require 79 working days. The midterm evaluation is expected to begin in June and be completed by the end of August 2025. The first draft report must be submitted by September 15, 2025, with the final report due by September 30, 2025.

Activity Expert 1 / Team Leader Expert 2 / Team member Total days per activity
Desk research 6 4 10
Draft and finalize inception report 7 3 10
Field visit (BiH and Kosovo) 12 12 24
Virtual data collection 5 3 8
Data analysis 4 3 7
Draft and finalize evaluation report 10 4 14
Debriefing / Presentation 3 3 6
Total 47 32 79

The written feedback from BIRN Kosovo, partners and the donors is planned to be given within a maximum of two weeks after submission of the reports.

Evaluation Management Arrangements

The BIRN Project Manager will serve as the main point of contact for the Evaluation Team, facilitating communication, providing project documents, and assisting with stakeholder engagement and logistical arrangements.

The Evaluation Team will operate independently from the project and organizational management structures of BIRN Kosovo and BIRN HUB.

BIRN’s management will fully respect and uphold the Evaluation Team’s independence, impartiality, and ethical standards, in accordance with established evaluation principles and the BIRN Code of Ethics.

Requirements for the Company/Team of Evaluators

BIRN is seeking a team of two evaluators or a company proposing at least two experts — a Team Leader and a Team Member — with at least one team member being a woman.

Candidates who were involved in any stage of the project’s design or implementation will not be considered.

Required Experience and Qualifications for companies and/or individuals within a company or Evaluation Team:
  • Proven experience in conducting and leading evaluations, preferably in the fields of good governance, rule of law, or media sector;
  • Experience in evaluating regional projects is an asset;
  • Excellent communication skills in English; proficiency in Albanian or Serbo-Croatian is mandatory for at least one team member;
  • Strong communication, analysis, and presentation skills;
  • Submission of a professional profile for the evaluation team/company (including CVs of all team members);
  • At least one team member must have experience in projects involving gender mainstreaming and/or environmental protection;
  • Submission of at least two samples of previous evaluations conducted by the company or members of the proposed Evaluation Team.
Specific Requirements for the Team Leader/Senior Expert:
  • At least 7 years of overall professional experience with a Master’s degree in a relevant field;
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience working with regional or international development projects and conducting evaluations using OECD/DAC criteria;
  • Lead role in at least three evaluations, preferably with experience in the Western Balkans;
  • Experience in program formulation, monitoring and evaluation, and qualitative data collection and analysis;
  • Proven ability to produce professional, concise, and reader-friendly evaluation reports;
  • Fluency in English (written and spoken) and good knowledge of Serbo-Croatian or Albanian.
Specific Requirements for the Team Member:
  • At least 7 years of professional experience and studies in Law, Political Science, International Development, or the Media sector;
  • Previous experience working on rule of law or media-related projects;
  • Experience in qualitative data collection, analysis, and interpretation;
  • Solid understanding of results-based and impact evaluations;
  • Fluency in English (written and spoken) and good knowledge of Serbo-Croatian or Albanian.
Specifications for the Submission of Offers Application process

2Qualified and interested candidates are asked to submit an electronic copy of their expression of interest/proposal by June 2 2025 at 23:59pm, with the subject REF: “Paper Trail for Better Governance IV – Evaluation” to [email protected] and [email protected]

Applicants must submit the following:

Technical Proposal:

  • Suitability Proof/Document:
    • For companies: A profile demonstrating suitability for the assignment based on previous work experience and qualifications, including short biographies of experts and attached CVs (maximum 5 pages).
    • For individuals: A team profile outlining relevant previous experience aligned with this ToR and detailed CVs for all members.

●  Team Composition:

  • Clear assignment of roles between the Team Leader and Team Member, ensuring that at least one member is a woman.

●  Methodology:

  • A proposed approach for carrying out the evaluation, including data collection and analysis methods, sampling strategies, triangulation, risks and mitigation

●  Draft Work and Timetable:

  • A suggested work plan and timeline, fitting within the number of working days proposed in this ToR.

Financial Offer:

  • A detailed financial proposal, broken down by deliverables and individual daily
  • The budget must be all-inclusive, covering accommodation, transportation, and any other related expenses, if applicable.
Evaluation of Offers:

The Technical Proposal will be evaluated with 70% whereas the financial one will be evaluated at 30%. The financial offer will be evaluated by using the best value for money approach (combined scoring method).

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the company or Evaluation Team, whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
  • Having received the highest score out of a predetermined set of weighted technical and financial criteria as explained below:
    • Technical Criteria weight; [70 points]
    • Financial Criteria weight; [30 points]
Criteria Weight Max. Point
Technical evaluation: 70% 70
●       Relevant professional experience in line with Evaluation Requirements; 25% 25
●       Quality of prepared Methodology and methods to be used in line with the Evaluation Requirements 35% 35
●       Team Composition, gender and previous experience in thematic and geographical areas as required in the ToR 10% 10
Financial offer: 30% 30

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

BIRN has a maximum budget of EUR 30,000 for carrying out the required Mid-Term Evaluation.

ANNEXES

The Evaluation Team should take note of the following documents, comprising annexes to this ToR:

Annex 1 – Short Project Summary

Annex 2 – Paper Trail Investigations – Focus Page with investigations produced by the project

Annex 3 – BIRD Source Database

Annex 4 – ADA Guidelines for programme and project evaluations

Annex 5 –  ADA Results Assessment Form (RAF)

Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence Winners Announced at Ceremony in Vienna

The winners of the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence were announced at a ceremony in Vienna on 16 May, honouring three powerful stories that reveal pressing environmental, political, and social challenges across Europe.

First prize of €3,000 was awarded to Zuza Nazaruk, a journalist from Poland currently based in the Netherlands, for her compelling story on the escalating crisis in the Białowieża Forest. The story examines how this UNESCO World Heritage site is being transformed into a militarised zone, where environmental degradation, heightened military presence, and migration converge. Through vivid reporting, Nazaruk reveals how thousands of migrants and soldiers are clashing in a forest once celebrated for its rich biodiversity, now caught in the crossfire of geopolitical tensions.

Jury member, and a correspondent for the Austrian daily, Der Standard, Adelheid Wölfl said: “Zuza Nazaruk shows the impact of geopolitical battles on the vulnerable and abused. She sheds light on those invisible in the thicket and portrays colourfully parts of our nature: plants, animals, and humans. She not only shows how much money and effort is spent in today’s Europe on preventing migration, but also the impact this has on our ecosystem. Zuza Nazaruk proves that we need journalism that gives a voice to those we cannot hear, and simultaneously safeguards something we all need: dignity.”

The second award of €2,000 went to Greek journalists Ioanna Louloudi and Paschalina Kapetaniou for their investigation into the Greek state’s repeated failure to accept responsibility and deliver justice to victims of police brutality, accidents, and disasters. Despite existing laws that mandate state compensation, the authorities frequently appeal rulings and prolong legal proceedings, forcing citizens into years-long battles for recognition and redress. Their story highlights the frustration and mistrust that this persistent denial of accountability fosters among the public.

“It is a Kafkaesque story, which happens now, in a democracy, where paradoxically the state fights against its citizens. It is a story about a human battle for dignity and civil rights,” said the jury member and Director of the Albanian Media Institute, Remzi Lani.

The third award of €1,000 went to Zuzana Vlasata from the Czech Republic for her story about a toxic leak on a Czech river. Her report shows how a factory linked to former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš should have been a prime suspect over the incident, but evaded official scrutiny. Jury member and editor at Bellingcat, Gyula Csák, said: “Zuzana Vlasata’s powerful and engaging investigative piece demonstrates state capture and systemic failure through the story of a factory accident in the Czech Republic.”

The ceremony marked the conclusion of the 2023 edition of the Fellowship.

In addition to jury members Adelheid Wölfl, Remzi Lani and Gyula Csák, this year’s panel included Milorad Ivanović, representing the FJE alumni network; Florian Hassel, Central and Eastern Europe correspondent for the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung; Elena Panagiotidis, editor at the Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung; and Kristof Bender, deputy chairman of the European Stability Initiative.

With the end of this year’s programme, seven fellows join the FJE alumni network – consisting of more than 150 journalists from 14 Central and Eastern European countries who promote the highest standards of professional journalism.

Launched in 2007, the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence is now in its eighteenth year. The programme fosters professional growth, cross-border cooperation, and in-depth reporting on key issues across central, eastern and south-eastern Europe. Each year, ten fellows receive financial and editorial support to develop long-form stories on complex regional and European topics.

The Fellowship is implemented by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network and supported by ERSTE Foundation.

BIRN Journalists Win Two Prestigious Awards For Investigative Journalism

The first prize for the Dejan Anastasijevic Award, named after the late highly respected Serbian journalist, in investigative journalism was handed to Aleksa Tesic for the series on the wiretapping of Serbian activists. The third prize was won by Sasa Dragojlo and Avi Scharf for their series on Serbia’s arms exports to Israel.

Aleksa Tesic, a BIRN Serbia journalist, received the prestigious first Dejan Anastasijevic Award for investigative journalism, which was awarded on May 8 by the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia (NUNS). 

The award was given to him for the series of articles “Silent Spying: How Serbian Intelligence Hacks Activists’ Phones – Without Them Knowing”, in which it was revealed Serbia’s Security Information Agency (BIA) used the Israeli technology Cellebrite to unlock the phones of activists it interrogated. Some phones were infected with NoviSpy, a spyware developed in Serbia. The research used the findings of a digital forensic analysis conducted by Amnesty International.

“For me, this award is an incentive to continue doing investigative journalism,” said Tesic. “This story revealed the core of espionage in Serbia, which started with the appearance of mobile phones and their mass usage in our country, from the purchase of spyware as early as 2012. 

“Today, our whole lives are on the phone. The phone knows more about us than our parents, our closest people. The police, the government, and the secret services want to discover our deepest secrets. It is one of the biggest topics currently in the digital space, it should be the focus of investigative journalists,” said Tesic. 

“We will continue to work on this topic. This is not the end, there is still a lot to say. Thank you to Amnesty International, the partners in the project, and the newsroom for their absolute support. I would also like to thank the editor, Milorad Ivanovic, who made all this possible, with whom I worked on this story. We don’t stop here, our appetites are big. Competitiveness is healthy in the journalistic world because it brings better stories.”

The jury described Tesic’s story as “terrifying and complete in equal measure”. It continued: “A society that can produce such stories and such journalists cannot be without hope for the future. Ironically, it is a story about those who try to extinguish that hope.” 

The jury consisted of BIRN founder and investigative editor Gordana Igric, investigative reporter and founder of CINS, Branko Cecen, Radio Free Europe investigative editor Mirjana Jevtovic, and reporter, editor and trainer Sasa Lekovic.

The second prize and audience award went to KRIK newsroom journalists Stevan Dojcinovic and Bojana Jovanovic for their research “Sky messages: Struggle in Novi Sad’s SNS over money and affection of Andrej Vucic“.

Balkan Insight/BIRN Serbia journalists Sasa Dragojlo and Avi Scharf were awarded the third prize for their series of articles “Regardless of War Crimes Claims, Serbia’s Arms Sales to Israel Soar.”

“I am so glad that this story was awarded, because I think it is, or should be a number one topic globally,” said Dragojlo. “The Serbian ruling regime has increased its ammunition export to Israel by 30 times, in a year marked by one of the most horrific and cynical crimes in Gaza – crimes that have been ignored or even supported by the most powerful Western countries that often label themselves as bastions of humanism. 

“I am also happy because of the collaboration with Haaretz, a media outlet that faces pressures in Israel, as well as BIRN in Serbia. We showed that there are no taboo topics for us and that professional journalism is always at the forefront of the fight for truth and justice, no matter the obstacles.”

Special awards for investigative stories about the Novi Sad train station disaster, and for local journalists

Special awards this year were awarded to Nova Ekonomija journalists Filip Rudic and Aleksandra Nenadovic, and Forbes Srbija journalist Ivan Radak. The jury considered they deserved special recognition because of the subject of their reports.

“The fascinating speed with which they mastered a very complex – but also the most important – topic in Serbia did not affect their high standards in their continuous discovery of key facts about what we were all feverishly interested in – the reconstruction of the railway station in Novi Sad and its tragic collapse,” the jury said. “In short, they showed why there can be neither democracy nor justice without free and professional media.”

As a sign of support for local journalists who work in particularly demanding conditions, NUNS awarded Juzne Vesti journalist Tamara Radovanovic for the report: “Millions for two companies in the last 4 years of the SNS government in Nis“. In its explanation, the jury pointed out that the report was used as evidence by investigators in the indictment against the recent mayor of Nis, Dragana Sotirovski.

For 20 years, the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia has been giving awards for investigations on key topics for citizens, which reveal previously unknown facts using journalistic expertise. This year, there were 51 applications, and 14 were shortlisted. Among the shortlisted were two more BIRN stories: “Changes in public transportation: Private individuals close to Zvonko Veselinovic are preparing to take over the job in Belgrade” by Jelena Zoric and Gordana Andric, and “Parallel Government: How Vucic Turned Serbia’s Constitution on its Head” by Sasa Dragojlo.

Meet the People Behind BIRN: Aida Tinjak

Aida Tinjak is the Grants and Project Coordinator at the BIRN Hub.

Her professional path has taken her from art history and pedagogy through working with several non-governmental organisations, cultural and creative industries projects, and strengthening local self-government to her current position in the BIRN Hub. So, how did she manage all these positions?

Let’s meet her!

Aida’s academic background in Art History and Pedagogy from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo, shaped the foundation of her interest in how culture, memory, and narrative intertwine. She worked as a curator at Gallery 11/07/95, a memorial gallery dedicated to the memory of the Srebrenica genocide.

“It was there that I encountered the power of war photography through permanent and temporary exhibitions by renowned photojournalists such as Ron Haviv, Narciso Contreras, and Paul Lowe, whose work has shaped how the world sees and remembers the war. These exhibitions were not merely artistic displays—they were testimonies. They revealed to me how photojournalism, particularly war photography, operates at the intersection of art, truth, and justice. On one hand, such images preserve historical facts; on the other, they restore voice and presence to those who were silenced”, Aida explains.

This experience profoundly influenced her understanding of journalism as an active force in memory-making and truth-telling. After her time at the gallery, she worked with several non-governmental organisations on projects related to cultural and creative industries and the empowerment of local communities.

“At the same time, I tried my hand at journalism, exploring one of its many forms. However, I soon (and perhaps just in time) discovered that what resonates more deeply with me is supporting and empowering journalists—those who seek to deepen their knowledge, expand their skills, and explore new tools. I began writing articles focused on practical techniques and digital tools that journalists can use in their everyday work. The aim was not only to share useful resources, but to contribute, however modestly, to raising the overall quality of media content and building the competencies that a resilient, responsible journalism requires”, says Tinjak.

Joining BIRN felt like a natural progression for her. It allowed Aida to continue engaging with narratives that matter, with investigative journalism’s added urgency and responsibility:

“I believe that journalism and art are united by a shared impulse—to communicate, to preserve memory, and to question the world around us. Both serve as powerful tools for challenging oppressive systems and amplifying silenced voices, pushing boundaries and standing as unwavering beacons of truth in a world that often seeks to suppress them.” 

When she joined BIRN Hub as a Project/Programme Assistant in 2021, she expected hard work, persistence, and the need to grow into the responsibilities ahead.

”And that’s exactly what awaited me. The road wasn’t without its challenges, but each experience has left valuable lessons that have shaped my professional path. What I hadn’t dared to expect was the depth of connection within the team. It’s the people who make me proud to be part of BIRN—their trust, support, and understanding make every challenge easier and every success more meaningful”, explains Aida.

Now, as a Grants and Project Coordinator at BIRN Hub, her work revolves around coordinating and implementing project activities, and overseeing and managing the grant-making process. In practice, that means a great deal of communication, mostly with journalists who are grant recipients, and quite a bit of administration.

“What makes the role truly rewarding is the opportunity to connect and collaborate with journalists from different countries (even if mostly online), to read their story proposals, and to hear fresh, often powerful ideas. It makes me happy to be, even in a small way, part of the journey that leads to the production of those stories. The job requires solid organisational skills, which I’ve come to value more and more over time. I believe that when things are well structured from the start, it’s easier to navigate the unexpected. While plans sometimes shift and circumstances change, having a reliable structure in place helps me adapt and keep things moving”, says Aida.

One of the BIRN programmes Aida works on is the Fellowship of Journalistic Excellence, which covers a region spanning 14 countries, from Poland and the Czech Republic to Greece and Romania. It has been running since 2007, and more than 150 leading regional journalists have participated. The ERSTE Foundation co-funded it.

“The programme begins with a kick-off seminar in Vienna, where selected fellows from across the region meet, exchange ideas, and begin shaping their stories under the guidance of an editor. This is followed by a months-long process of research, reporting, writing, and revising, resulting in some truly exceptional stories. Many of these stories have been recognised with prestigious awards, which serve as a testament to the programme’s ability to nurture high-quality journalism in the region.

What truly stands out is that the programme doesn’t end once the story is published. Fellows who complete the programme join an expanding alumni network that offers a wealth of opportunities for collaboration, networking, and knowledge-sharing. This network plays a key role in enhancing professional growth and strengthening cross-border journalistic ties”, explains Tinjak.

BIRN is currently working on enhancing the programme’s website, which will feature some new additions, such as an alumni directory—a dynamic database where fellows can connect and showcase their professional biographies. In addition, BIRN will launch a Fellowship podcast series, designed to promote the programme’s brand and delve into the significance of long-form journalism.

Reporting Democracy is another BIRN project Aida works on, and is also supported by the ERSTE Foundation. It is focused on leveraging independent journalism to critically examine the issues shaping the future of democracy in Central, Eastern, and Southeast Europe. It has a network of regional correspondents and publishes a bi-weekly review of key democratic developments — the Twice podcast (Two Weeks in Central Europe).

“Reporting Democracy supports journalists in a variety of ways, including accepting pitches on a rolling basis, commissioning stories, and offering grants. These grants include those provided through the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence, as well as the Travel and Reporting Programme, which funds journalists from the Visegrad region (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia) to carry out field research and report on Balkan-related stories. In addition, we periodically offer grants for journalists from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, along with Fellowship Alumni grants available to members of the Fellowship alumni network”, said Tinjak.

In the end, we’re returning to the beginning of our story. Art history and museums’ educational functions remain Aida’s passions, but have evolved over time, although their essence remains unchanged:

“I see it as a continuous thread—quietly reminding me that there is always more to explore and uncover, and that growth often lies just beyond the familiar boundaries. I believe that a diversity of experiences and knowledge is what shapes and strengthens us, preparing us for whatever lies ahead.”

She also continued with her education, becoming a Certified New Media Designer a few years ago. Recently, she’s been revisiting that field, refreshing what she’s learned. After the work is done, Aida has her favourite activities during her spare time:

“I enjoy spending my free time with family and friends—whether that means hiking, catching a live gig, seeing a play, taking a shot at a pub quiz (with more enthusiasm than correct answers ☺ ), or simply going for a walk (and pretending it counts as exercise ☺ ). At other times, it’s about embracing stillness—giving myself and my thoughts the space to pause, regroup, and recharge for whatever comes next.”

BIRN Macedonia Holds Fourth Training Session for Young Journalists

Eleven young journalists took part in BIRN Macedonia’s latest investigative journalism training session in April.

The three days of training, the fourth session in BIRN’s year-long investigative journalism programme, were held between April 25 and 27 in Mavrovo, North Macedonia.  

Journalists participated in building on the skills they have developed over the past several months, with teaching focused on strengthening their investigative and research skills and helping them pitch new, original investigative story ideas.

The training began with sessions on how to assess the scope of a story and identify strong starting points for investigation. This helped them map out the first steps in investigating a topic, how to ask the right questions, and identify the resources they would need.

On the second day, participants pitched their story ideas and received feedback from BIRN mentors and peers. The training then moved into exploring how to research different subject areas: such people, companies, and foreign entities. These sessions provided specific tools for gathering and verifying information from public records, open-source platforms, and social media, as well as ethical considerations when dealing with sensitive sources.

The final day was dedicated to learning how to use geolocation tools and online techniques to verify the exact location of an object. Through practical exercises, they worked on verifying locations with limited information, strengthening their observational skills and ability to analyse visual clues in the context of investigative reporting. The training concluded with a discussion on communication with sources, where the group exchanged methods and ethical best practices for approaching, interviewing, and protecting sources.

In the next month the young journalists will have the opportunity to pitch ideas for an investigative story. The best proposal will be developed with mentorship support from BIRN Macedonia journalist team. The summer training session, expected in June, will be the final event of the investigative journalism program. 

Request for Quotes for Digital Rights Policy Papers Development

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is seeking highly skilled experts to contribute to the Reporting Digital Rights and Freedoms project and to develop Policy Papers that will outline regulatory and policy paths to prevent digital rights violations, focusing on countries from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) and Turkey.

We specifically welcome applications from Turkey to explore the particular dynamic and evolving context in terms of digital rights and freedoms. Current policy and legislative framework in this field in the region is underdeveloped and/or obsolete. It fails to address existing challenges, let alone anticipate changes driven by the fast-changing world of technology. The aim is to identify existing regional policies that do not meet international standards and require significant changes, as well as highlight missing policies that need to be developed. These papers should offer structured, multi-sectoral approaches to identifying needs and opportunities for policy change and propose recommendations to prevent violations of digital rights.

Role Overview

BIRN is seeking proposals from qualified individuals or groups of individuals to develop a comprehensive policy paper on digital rights. The selected experts will be responsible for proposing relevant topics for the paper, conducting thorough analyses, engaging with stakeholders, and developing the policy paper. Their work will focus on providing recommendations to enhance digital rights governance, address policy gaps, and align policies with international standards.

This role requires a multi-sectoral approach, which will contribute to a deeper understanding of the needs of all stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including journalists, researchers, activists, academics, industry players, vulnerable groups as well as decision makers. Furthermore, the selected experts will work closely with the BIRN team to incorporate insights from previous findings and monitoring cases into their work.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

  • Conduct Desk Research: The expert will conduct desk research on digital rights issues, regional policies and the legislative framework relevant to the proposed theme. This includes reviews of existing regional and international frameworks related to digital rights and analysis of different regional case studies. The expert will analyse gaps, identify weaknesses and challenges within the current landscape, offering in-depth analysis to support further advancements in this field.
  • Conduct Interviews with Relevant Stakeholders: The expert will engage with all relevant stakeholders to gather necessary insights, which will serve to address the identified needs based on the feedback received and to incorporate them into the paper.
  • Develop the Policy Paper: The expert will develop the policy paper, ensuring it is structured, evidence-based and clearly understandable for all stakeholders. It is essential that the policy paper includes realistic and feasible recommendations, such as proposing specific amendments, new policies or legislative frameworks that can enhance digital rights protections to prevent digital rights violations in the region. Additionally, the policy paper must be grounded in international human rights standards, while being tailored to the specific context of the region.

Timeline

Work on this assignment shall start in June 2025.

Remuneration

The compensation for each Policy Paper may reach a maximum of 1,000 EUR.

Eligibility Criteria and Offer Evaluations

Applicants should have a proven experience in digital rights research, policy analysis, as well as strong understanding of digital rights. Also, applicants should demonstrate ability to produce high-quality policy papers or similar reports.

Selection Criteria:

Selection Criteria Points
Work Experience: proven experience in digital rights research and/or policy research with strong understanding of digital rights concepts 40 points
Proposed topic: relevance, clarity and feasibility of the proposed topic, demonstrating originality 40 points
Cost: Reasonable and lowest pricing in relation to the proposed Scope of Work 20 points

Offer Submission

To submit the offer, you must sign and complete Annex I – Procurement Form, Content Offer, Financial Form and Annex 2 – Declaration for Responsible Procurement. The Request for Quotes, along with the Annexes, can be downloaded here.

The complete offer with both Annexes filled and your CV must be returned to [email protected] by May 27, 2025 at 23:59 CET with the subject line: RfQ: Digital Rights Policy Paper Development.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Regional Camp in Sarajevo Boosts Journalists’ Skills in Crisis Reporting

Journalists from across the Western Balkans participated in a three-day training course on safe reporting, crisis journalism, and digital security.

From April 28 to 30, a regional journalism camp was held in Sarajevo, focusing on legally safe reporting, crisis journalism and digital security. The three-day training brought together 25 journalists from across the Western Balkans, providing them with essential tools to navigate a complex and increasingly hostile media landscape.

Participants engaged in dynamic hands-on training sessions, expert-led panel discussions and interactive risk assessment exercises. The sessions offered practical knowledge in legally safe reporting, coverage of crises such as protests and elections and strategies to defend themselves against digital surveillance and censorship.

The training was led by three international safety experts, Sharbil Nammour, Russ Draycott and Michael Buddle, in collaboration with the ACOS Alliance.

Sessions focused on risk assessment and building real-world resilience, emphasizing both physical preparedness and digital threat mitigation.

“Our approach is very much hands-on,” Draycott said. “This is real-world training. We’re getting delegates out of their seats, onto the floor, and teaching life-saving medical skills. These experiences prepare journalists for the real problems they face today.”

Journalists in the region frequently face defamation in tabloid and social media, alongside challenges in maintaining both digital and personal safety. The camp addressed these risks through a cross-sectoral approach, drawing on expertise from multiple fields. With such training, journalist are better prepared to find interesting and hard-reaching stories.

“Sometimes these stories bring them in to conflict and even danger and what we are trying to do is to make them understand and have tools to mitigate those dangers and threats against them, whether they are personal, security or digital. Medical training is a great life skill and something that will hopefully make them feel better to cope with anything they deal with,” Draycott added.

One of the highlights was the presentation of the new BIRN report, “Surveillance and Censorship in the Western Balkans.”

The findings, presented by Megi Reçi, BIRN’s Digital Rights Research Lead, paint a troubling picture. The report reveals that governments in the region are increasingly leveraging technology to suppress dissent, censor online content, restrict access to digital platforms and carry out both mass and targeted surveillance. Read more about it here.

The camp was a joint initiative of the EU-funded project “Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey II”, the Open Society Foundation-funded project “Surveillance and Censorship in the Western Balkans”, and the Austrian Development Agency funded-project “Paper Trail for Better Governance IV”. It was organised by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN).

The training programme has been developed in partnership with A Culture of Safety (ACOS) Alliance. ACOS works to embed a culture of safety within journalism, advance safety standards, and help journalists and newsrooms implement the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles through their safety training initiatives and resources.

Montenegro Still Awaiting Unlawful Surveillance Verdicts, BIRN Panel Hears

A BIRN Montenegro conference highlighted that court proceedings against those responsible for unlawful surveillance measures have dragged on for years – without reaching verdicts.

On April 28, BIRN Montenegro organised a panel discussion titled “Surveillance Measures and Censorship in the Digital Space,” which noted that no verdicts have been reached in cases concerning secret surveillance operations.

Former Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic recalled that court proceedings over unlawful surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency, ANB, in August 2020, have yet to conclude.

“To this day, we have no final court decisions regarding the wiretapping and surveillance activities carried out during the rule of the Democratic Party of Socialists … We exposed cases of unlawful monitoring by the ANB, and we [still] await the judiciary’s results,” Abazovic said.

Ahead of parliamentary elections, in August 2020, the portal Udar was launched, publishing articles aimed at discrediting opposition politicians, civic activists, clergy and journalists, calling them collaborators with foreign intelligence services, traitors and members of organised crime groups.

Authorities have never determined who was behind the portal, although some individuals targeted by Udar have been awarded compensation for violations of their reputation and dignity.

Journalist Petar Komnenic called the indicted former ANB director, Dejan Perunicic, “merely a pawn in the whole affair”. The indictment against Perunicic notes that ANB agents monitored Komnenic.

“These individuals certainly were not working for a private archive. It is essential to establish on whose orders they were operating,” Komnenic said.

Deputy Ombudsperson Mirjana Radovic emphasized that institutional reforms have not been swift enough – but noted that some individuals in the institutions are doing their jobs properly.

“We must find a way to overcome these challenges together, and we can only do so if institutions operate securely, efficiently and transparently,” Radovic said.

BIRN BiH and Partners Team up to Help Teach Facts about War

BIRN BiH, Srebrenica Memorial Centre and Forgotten Children of War Association launch joint initiative designed for students and teachers on judicially established facts about the Bosnian war.

This year, three organisations dedicated to transitional justice are leading study trips for students on the events of the 1992-5 war in Bosnia and are preparing materials for history teachers to teach about the past based on judicially established facts.

These facts will be supplemented by the verdicts of domestic courts, as part of activities within a broader project for building long-term peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In collaboration with the Srebrenica Memorial Centre and the Forgotten Children of War Association, this year, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BIRN BiH, is launching an educational initiative for senior class students and teachers on judicially established facts about the war in order to foster dialogue and the fight against denial of judicially established facts about the war.

BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina will draw on its experience from the past 20 years, during which it has focused on issues of transitional justice and reporting on war crimes.

“Although the prosecution of war crimes cases is now coming to a close, we continue to see historical revisionism, genocide denial, war crimes denial and relativization, as well as glorification of perpetrators, even among young people,” BIRN BiH director Denis Dzidic explains.

Following a recommendation of the Council of Europe to temporarily suspend teaching on the 1992-1995 period, since 2018 the topic has returned to curricula and textbooks.

“Research shows that there is no universal approach to this issue in schools throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Dzidic notes.

It is for this reason that the three organisations wish to encourage critical perceptions among young people about the war in Bosnia through the education system and oppose historical revisionism, as well as emphasize the importance of factual knowledge of war circumstances.

BIRN BiH will expand its database of judicially established facts that includes verdicts of the International Criminal Tribunal, ICTY, in the Hague, with verdicts passed down by courts in Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia, with a focus on the suffering and war crimes rather than on the perpetrators. A new digital platform of the database will be developed, making it more accessible to children and young people.

“Based on this database, a handbook for history teachers on how to teach about the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be developed. This project is implemented in cooperation with education ministries across Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in consultation with history teachers. We want to create a space for dialogue, critical reflection on the past, and a healthier future for young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Dzidic explains.

BIRN BiH, together with its other partners, will also organise study tours to Srebrenica, Tuzla and Sarajevo, and prepare trainings for history teachers on how to use the materials derived from this database in class when teaching about the past.

The project “Building Long-Term Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Investing in the Future”, supported by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund, PBF, promotes fact-based learning, the development of critical thinking, and intergenerational dialogue – to strengthen trust and build a more resilient and inclusive future for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Since becoming eligible for the UN’s Peace Building Fund’s support, Bosnia has advanced six active peacebuilding initiatives focusing on social cohesion, transitional justice and the engagement of women and youth, with a total investment of about 16 million US dollars, Ingrid MacDonald, Resident Coordinator of the UN in Bosnia, explained.

“By fostering fact-based multi-perspective education about the past conflicts, this initiative in particular equips young people with the tools to think critically, confront denial and engage with diverse narratives, laying the groundwork for more informed, inclusive and resilient society,” MacDonald added.

This initiative is not only an investment in education, but in the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, she added.

PBF is the UN’s leading instrument to invest in prevention and peacebuilding, in partnership with the wider UN system, national and subnational authorities, civil society organisations, regional organisations and multilateral banks. The Fund supports joint UN responses to address critical peacebuilding opportunities, connecting development, humanitarian, human rights and peacebuilding pillars.

BIRN Kosovo Trains Judges and Prosecutors on Violent Extremism and Terrorism Challenges

BIRN Kosovo, in cooperation with the Kosovo Academy of Justice, organized a four-day intensive training on the challenges of violent extremism, radicalism, and terrorism in Kavajë, Albania, from 13-16 April.

This training brought together judges and prosecutors, aiming at strengthen their professional capacities in identifying, prosecuting, and adjudicating terrorism-related offenses and enhancing their understanding of the evolving dynamics of violent extremism in Kosovo and the broader region, with a particular focus on right-wing and religious extremism.

The program was led by a distinguished group of experts, including Supreme Court Judge Burim Ademi, Basic Court Judge Valon Kurtaj, Special Prosecution Office Prosecutor Naim Abazi, and senior officials from the Kosovo Police, including Mensur Hoti, Fatos Makolli, and Nexhdet Haxhaj.

The start of the training was focused on the strategic objectives of Kosovo’s counter-terrorism efforts, presented by National Coordinator Mensur Hoti, followed by a documentary screening on right-wing extremism in Kosovo and a discussion moderated by Kreshnik Gashi.

Day two focused on the legal framework addressing violent extremism, an in-depth analysis of far-right extremism and its manifestation in public incidents, and a practical group exercise to analyze the push and pull factors behind radicalization.

On the third day, participants examined the overlap between terrorism and other criminal offenses and attended case studies on the spread of religious extremism and recruitment tactics in Kosovo.

The final day addressed investigative techniques and the use of alternative sentencing for cases regarding terrorism and identifying signs of extremism during the investigative phase. Participants were also presented with alternative sanctions and the sentencing process in terrorism trials, including the role of pre-sentencing reports. The training concluded with a discussion on the use of social media in spreading extremism and the balance between strategic communication and personal data protection.

By combining legal analysis, real case presentations, documentary screenings, and group exercises, the training provided a comprehensive and interactive environment for enhancing cross-sectoral collaboration in Kosovo’s response to violent extremism and terrorism.

This training was attended by 31 participants, including 14 women. The participants have actively engaged in this training by sharing experiences and asking questions on how to effectively deal with terrorism and violent extremism.

The training was part of the ‘Resilient and Inclusive Community Programme’ funded by GCERF, through ATRC and implemented by BIRN Kosovo.