Category: News and Events

During November 2025, BIRN Kosovo organized three tailored workshops designed to raise awareness and strengthen understanding as well as operational capacities of security and justice institutions in countering disinformation. The workshop “Development of Inter-Institutional Capacities for Building Strategies to Counter Disinformation,” brought together representatives from the Prosecution, Courts, Customs, Police, Tax Administration, Local Departments for Security and Emergency as well as Ministries of Internal Affairs, Defence and Local Government Administration, facilitating dialogue and collaboration among institutions that play a crucial role in safeguarding public trust and security.

Workshops opened with a discussion on participants’ expectations and institutional experiences, setting the stage for a shared understanding of current challenges. This was followed by an introductory session on information disorders, presented by Kreshnik Gashi, Editor in Chief at Kallxo. Mr. Gashi highlighted the need for a forward-looking approach toward today’s challenges in the information space and discussed most effective experiences in addressing and preventing disinformation.

Further sessions delivered by Visar Prebreza, Editor at Krypometër and Granit Mavriqi, Social Media Manager at Kallxo, discussed the influence of media financing, transparency, and digital security on the spread of disinformation. Mr. Prebreza, while showcasing real life examples of information disorders related to security and justice institutions, emphasized the need to understand disinformation as a coordinated approach that seeks to undermine trust in institutions.  Mr. Mavriqi provided participants with practical tools and techniques to enhance their digital safety and best practices for institutions to communicate through social media.

Participants were additionally introduced to the effects of algorithms and practical monitoring methodologies through sessions led by Norik Selimi and Meriton Nagavci from Pikasa Analytics, who presented the latest trends in online media monitoring as well as examples of institutions performance online.

Blerton Abazi, University Professor, discussed the interplay of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and coordinated disinformation campaigns, illustrating how evolving technologies are reshaping the information space. Arton Hajdari, Financial Forensics Expert, delivered a session focusing on the legal framework and available tools for tracing financial flows and identifying the beneficial owners of businesses and media outlets. It also highlighted the role of the Financial Intelligence Unit and outlined practical analysis strategies for suspicious cases. In addition, one interactive session was held with Miroslav Sazdovski from the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats.

Workshops concluded with group discussions facilitated by Kreshnik Gashi and Labinot Leposhtica, Head of the Legal Office and Court Monitoring Coordinator at BIRN, where representatives collaboratively outlined practical steps for developing effective pre-debunking and debunking strategies.

A total of 90 participants, 28 women and 62 men,  took part in the workshops held on 12-13 November, 18-19 November and 25 November. These activities were organised under the framework of the project “Media Integrity and Disinformation Watch”, supported by the British Embassy in Kosovo.

Over four months, citizens participated intensively in trainings, field visits, community consultations, meetings with municipal leaders and in the drafting of recommendations that will inform future public investments.

The Social Audit project engaged local NGOs, municipal mayors, officials and directorates, contract managers, and up to 120 community members, culminating in the preparation of six Social Audit reports, 30 journalistic articles (five per municipality), a TV documentary and six short videos – one for each municipality. These audiovisual products will document the entire Social Audit process. The selected municipalities were Istog, Drenas, Kaçanik, Dragash, Lipjan and Mamusha.

Following an extensive field-screening process, the project formed six Social Audit Teams, one per audited project, with a diverse membership, including teachers, activists, farmers, engineers, persons with disabilities, youth leaders, journalists, business owners and pensioners. More than 70 men and 40 women monitored 12 different infrastructure projects, with the aid of BIRN Kosovo, Democracy Plus (D+), and local partner NGOs in each of the six municipalities: HANDIKOS Istog, HANDIKOS Kaçanik, HANDIKOS Drenas, NGO Avoko, YAHR, and Mamuşa Emekçi Kadınlar Derneği.

These teams acted as independent community monitors, ensuring that public investments funded by the Municipal Performance Grant comply with standards, meet community needs, and follow proper procedures.

Before field monitoring began, the project delivered one training for the six local NGOs involved in facilitation and six full-day trainings for each of the Social Audit Teams. Topics included civic activism and citizen engagement, Municipal Performance Grants, access to public documents, identifying indicators and drafting findings, technical and environmental monitoring and reporting, communication, and community outreach. These trainings built the teams’ capacities to analyse project documentation, conduct field inspections, and formulate evidence-based recommendations.

The project began with the signing of Memorandums of Understanding with all six municipal mayors, formalizing cooperation for the 2025 Social Audit cycle. Mayors and municipal directors committed to close collaboration, transparency, and the provision of documents, facilitating citizen participation throughout the process.

Throughout September, October, and the first half of November, the Social Audit teams carried out field visits to construction sites, public spaces, roads, riverbeds, water systems, and sports facilities; met contract managers and municipal departments; consulted residents about local needs; and reviewed procurement documents, designs, contracts and plans.

Key findings included concerns related to accessibility, environmental impacts, construction quality, safety risks, delays, and non-standardized infrastructure. Teams drafted detailed recommendations, which were formally submitted to the municipalities. All the municipalities responded with written feedback, many confirming that several recommendations were already being addressed.

From November 5 to 13, all six Social Audit teams met with their respective mayors or deputy mayors to present preliminary findings. In each municipality, local leaders expressed appreciation for the citizen-driven approach and acknowledged its role in improving service delivery and strengthening decision-making. Some municipalities committed to increasing accessibility measures, adjusting road safety infrastructures, prioritizing citizen requests in future budgeting, and piloting participatory budgeting mechanisms.

To enhance visibility and public engagement, the project has also produced rich multimedia content. In total, 30 articles will be published on KALLXO.com and partner platforms – five per municipality– covering every stage of the Social Audit process, from the signing of MoUs to trainings, findings, and meetings. In addition, an upcoming feature documentary will showcase the entire four-month cycle of community monitoring. The project will also produce six short videos, one for each municipality, highlighting project-specific challenges, stories, and citizen voices. Filming included interviews with mayors, team members, residents, engineers, and NGO partners, along with extensive footage from all monitored project sites.

This project will culminate in the publication of six Social Audit reports, one for each municipality. These will present the key findings derived from the fieldwork conducted by the Social Audit teams, along with the recommendations developed based on their assessments. The reports will also highlight systemic issues identified during the process, good practices, lessons learned, and actionable steps for local institutions to improve transparency, service delivery and accountability. Each report will include community feedback, documented evidence and a set of priority measures designed to support long-term, citizen-driven oversight at the municipal level.

The Social Audit Project has proven to be one of Kosovo’s most comprehensive citizen-engagement models, combining capacity-building, institutional cooperation, field monitoring and civic participation in decision-making. With up to 120 trained citizens, partnerships with six municipalities, and a full body of public reports and audiovisual storytelling, the initiative sets a new standard for local governance oversight.

The 2025 Social Audit cycle began in August and will be completed in December. It is supported by the Ministry of Local Government Administration and the Decentralisation and Municipal Support Project (DEMOS), a project co-financed by the EU, the Swiss and Swedish government, and implemented by HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation–Kosovo.

In 2024 BIRN Kosovo and D+ facilitated the Social Audit process in six municipalities of Gjakova, Peja, Lipjan, Obiliq, Klina and Malisheva.  In 2023, BIRN Kosovo facilitated the same process in Drenas, Kaçanik, Hani i Elezit, Suharekë, and Viti.

The workshop opened with a presentation by Labinot Leposhtica, BIRN Kosovo’s Coordinator for Court Monitoring and the Legal Office. He introduced students to Kosovo’s media regulatory landscape, explaining media ownership structures, transparency requirements, and the legal obligations that govern news organisations. He also explored key ethical dilemmas faced by journalists, illustrating how professional integrity can be maintained amidst complex editorial pressures.

Kreshnik Gashi, editor-in-chief of KALLXO.com, then addressed issues of legal and professional safety in reporting, particularly in crisis zones or hostile environments. Drawing on real-world field experiences, he highlighted the risks that journalists may encounter and the practical safeguards necessary to protect themselves and their sources.

Gashi concluded the workshop with a discussion on gender-sensitive reporting, emphasizing accurate and responsible representation of women in the media. He underlined the importance of empathy, fairness and careful handling of gender-related topics in journalistic storytelling.

Throughout the training, students engaged actively with the trainers – asking questions, sharing reflections, and examining contemporary challenges in the media landscape. The workshop enhanced their understanding of the ethical and legal foundations of journalism while offering valuable insights into the realities of reporting on the ground.

At the close of the event, participants expressed their strong interest in additional training sessions, noting that such workshops equip young journalists with essential skills and confidence for responsible and impactful reporting.

This was the second workshop of its kind, following a similar session held with students from the Journalism Department at the University of Prishtina. In 2026, BIRN Kosovo plans to continue delivering workshops on these themes for both journalism students and working journalists.

This activity is supported by the European Union under the project “Strengthen the Role and Capacities of Investigative Journalism in Kosovo”, implemented by BIRN Kosovo, the Press Council of Kosovo, and TV Mreža.