More than 50 journalists and editors from across the Western Balkans and Visegrad countries participated in a four-day online training from July 21-24 focused on audience-engaged journalism.
The training was organised as part of the projects Media Innovation Europe and Paper Trail for Better Governance, supporting grantees from calls for Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants.
The interactive sessions were led by a combination of international and regional trainers and provided grantees with tools to deepen audience engagement through crowdsourced journalism, storytelling and community-focused investigations.
The training kicked off with an introduction to engagement journalism by Asia Fields, an engagement reporter at ProPublica. She walked participants through core concepts of crowdsourcing, identifying community needs, and building trust with underrepresented groups. Fields shared her experience in reporting on neglected school infrastructure and homelessness in the US, sparking a discussion among the participants about how to apply similar methods in their own contexts.
“ProPublica engagement reporters crowdsource evidence, anecdotes and input at scale to fuel important accountability-focused journalism,” Fields explained.
Recognising the linguistic diversity of the participants, the training featured multiple parallel sessions conducted in different languages.
Regional trainers Besar Likmeta (BIRN Albania), Katarina Zrinjski (BIRN BiH), Gyula Csak (BIRN) and Milica Stojanović (Balkan Insight) led targeted workshops on callout design, crowdsourcing techniques and community engagement strategies, culminating in a session on use of the specialised audience-engaged journalism tool facilitated by Karla Juničić, ECR tool coordinator.
Participants practiced developing engagement callouts tailored to their audiences, conducted case study analysis and learned how to incorporate community feedback into editorial planning.
The final days of the training focused on practical application – guiding participants on turning audience input into impactful investigative stories. Journalists worked in language-specific groups to develop plans for future stories using real data and community responses.
They also explored how to analyse callout responses, assess editorial potential, and structure community-driven narratives.
The four-day programme was part of the broader Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants scheme of the Media Innovation Europe and Paper Trail for Better Governance projects, which are designed to foster more inclusive, community-oriented journalism across Europe. The grantees will continue to receive mentorship as they implement their projects in the months ahead.
Media Innovation Europe: Independence Through Sustainability, co-financed by the EU Commission, is led by a consortium of media support organisations working to bolster the resilience, innovation and audience reach of independent media in Central and Southeastern Europe. Among them are the International Press Institute, The Fix Foundation and Thompson Foundation.
The Paper Trail for Better Governance initiative, led by BIRN and funded by the Austrian Development Agency, supports media freedom, transparency and accountability across the Western Balkans. Through investigative journalism and audience-engagement practices, the project empowers local media and communities to spotlight corruption and advocate for stronger democratic institutions.
On July 21 the Austrian Embassy in Podgorica concluded an agreement with BIRN Montenegro on support for a project on monitoring the transparency and accountability of various regulatory institutions in Montenegro.
The project, “Regulating the Regulators”, is part of a wider effort to make institutions more transparent, credible and accountable, as Montenegro prepares for accession to the EU.
The contract was signed by Austria’s Ambassador to Montenegro, Dr Christian Steiner, and the Executive Director of BIRN Montenegro, Vuk Maras.
Last July, BIRN Montenegro published a report on spending by state-owned electricity companies, which revealed an increase in the number of their employees, as well as abuses in the allocation of sponsorships and donations.
BIRN Montenegro is currently monitoring the spending of state-owned transport companies.
Aida Trepanic Hebib, a BIRN BiH journalist, has won the “Nino Catic” award for her story about the removal of denial from social media in which she addressed crime minimization and relativization, as well as hate comments, targeting the children of those killed in the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.
“When I first heard of the story of Nino Catic, who was persistent and stayed in Srebrenica until the very last moment, I wished to be at least half as brave as he was in my work,” she said.
“For several years, I have reported on war crimes and the genocide in Srebrenica, so I am extremely glad that my work at Detektor has been recognised in this way, especially on the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. I perceive this award as assuming responsibility to continue writing about the transitional justice topics in my future work,” she stated.
The jury, consisting of Marko Divkovic, Marinko Sekulic Kokeza, Sacir Filandra, Denis Latin, Sanjin Kodric and Andrej Nikolaidis, said it was a very important topic, praising “a journalistic job well done, calmly, with sufficient stance and sharpness of style.
“Praise goes for articles on the Detektor portal, primarily due to their investigative nature and for dealing with particularly important topics related to the Srebrenica genocide, genocide denial, without primarily being reduced to journalistic news only,” the jury added.
The awarded article approached the genocide topic in a less usual way and examined the violations of digital rights that deny that the Srebrenica genocide was committed.
In a piece published last July, Trepanic Hebib drew attention to children of those killed in the genocide, on whom denial leaves deep marks.
Besides Trepanic Hebib, who was awarded in the “Written Text” category, awards were also given to Nijaz Memic for a radio report, Haris Domazet for a television feature, Ivan Mandic for photography, and Aida Kaukovic in the “Blog” category.
Special awards were given to Ajsa Hafizovic-Hadzimesic and Kasim Softic, as well as posthumously to Denijal Smailbegovic, while appreciation letters were handed out to Srebrenica mothers Munira Subasic, Kada Hotic, Fadila Efendic and Nura Begovic, among others.
The “Nino Catic” award has been organised for the sixth year by the “Being a Journalist” Association on the initiative of Emina Hodzic and Dino Durmic.
Catic was a journalist from Srebrenica. In the war in Bosnia, he reported daily and informed the public about the suffering in his town. He last spoke live on July 10, 1995, and was last seen on July 11, 1995. His remains have never been found.
Join us for an insightful webinar on July 17, 2025, to explore the key findings of BIRN’s comprehensive regional report on surveillance and censorship in the Western Balkans.
In an era of rapidly advancing technology and increasing exposure to digital risks, this webinar will delve into the main trends, challenges and implications of surveillance and online censorship highlighted in the report. The event brings together leading researchers, digital rights experts and representatives from BIRN’s local offices, offering diverse country perspectives and discussing future directions and priorities for protecting digital rights across the region.
Date: July 17, 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 12:00 PM (CEST)
The webinar will be conducted in English, with simultaneous interpretation available in Albanian, BCS and Macedonian.
Don’t miss the opportunity to review the full report, Surveillance and Censorship in the Western Balkans, here.
AGENDA
12:00 – 12:05 Welcome and Opening Remarks
Azra Milić, Digital Rights Programme Coordinator, BIRN
12:05 – 12:25 Presentation of BIRN Regional Report Findings
Megi Reçi, Digital Rights Research Lead, BIRN
12:30 – 13:20 Panel session: Behind the Curtain: Surveillance & Censorship in the Western Balkans
Moderator: Ivana Jeremić, Digital Rights Content Lead
Speakers:
Blerta Thaçi, Executive Director, Open Data Kosovo
Azem Kurtić, BIRN Journalist, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Milica Tosić, Attorney-at-Law, Partners Serbia
Sara Kelmendi, Researcher on Cyber-Civic Space, Institute for Democracy
and Mediation Albania
Ivan Ivanovic, BIRN Journalist, Montenegro
13:20 – 13:50 Panel session: Digital Rights Tomorrow: Lessons, Challenges, and New Directions
Moderator: Azra Milić, BIRN Hub
Speakers:
Aida Mahmutović, Project Manager, Reporting Digital Rights and Freedoms
Besar Likmeta, BIRN Albania
Tanja Maksić, BIRN Serbia
Mirza Halilcevic, BIRN BiH
13:50 – 14:00 Q&A and Closing Remarks
This public event is part of the “Surveillance and Censorship in the Western Balkans” grant supported by the Open Society Foundation Western Balkan and implemented by BIRN.
An exhibition, “The Lives behind the Fields of Death”, of the Srebrenica Memorial Centre and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BIRN BiH, has been moved and reopened in an extended form in the Battery Factory in Srebrenica.
The “Memorial Room” consists of four main spaces – a room where personal items of the 1995 genocide’s victims are displayed, a multimedia room with 100 videos of survivors’ testimonies, a video room showcasing a documentary, Samir Mehic Bowie – Letters from Srebrenica, as well as a video exhibition of oral history, “Srebrenica: Our Story”, authored by Hasan Hasanovic, head of the oral history team.
The project “The Lives Behind the Fields of Death” began in October 2020. A hundred survivors and family members of those killed donated items that connected them to the events of the siege and genocide in the “safe area” of Srebrenica in July 1995. The Srebrenica Memorial Centre took over the items for permanent safekeeping, while BIRN BiH recorded the testimonies of survivors about the suffering of their family members or close friends.
At the opening of the permanent exhibition, the director of the Srebrenica Memorial Center, Emir Suljagic, explained that this was a “new-old” exhibition, which taught about the genocide in a multimedia form, representing a joint fight against genocide denial, false narratives and revisionism.
Denis Dzidic and Emir Suljagic. Photo: Detektor.ba
BIRN BiH director Denis Dzidic said that “The Lives behind the Fields of Death” project had been ongoing for five years. It was significant not only for giving a voice to victims but also for allowing different stories to be told during a time of denial, he said.
The Netherlands’ ambassador, Henk van den Dool, said the Memorial Room was the result of two projects funded by the Netherlands’ government, which supported the fight against denial and historical revisionism. He said the project aimed to emphasize personal stories beyond mere numbers and statistics.
Srebrenica mother Munira Subasic also addressed the participants at the opening, calling for humanity, doing good, and fighting against injustice and hatred. She thanked all those participating in the struggle to preserve victims’ memories.
BIRN BiH and the Memorial Centre, through the MATRA project (of the Regional Partnerships Fund of the Government of the Netherlands), give a voice to the families of the victims, sharing stories about people killed in the genocide in Srebrenica. The aim is to contribute to “social change”, while fighting against genocide denial, as well as discrimination against returnees who lost their loved ones in the genocide.
What is the place of long-form journalism in an age of shrinking newsroom budgets and democratic decline? On the Long Exposure podcast, journalists from central, eastern and south-eastern Europe reveal how they are breathing new life into an old format.
The podcast examines the craft of long-form journalism, and its ability to uncover hidden truths about society and politics in the region. “The Fellowship has been producing revelatory features, analysis and investigations for nearly 20 years,” said the programme manager, Dragana Zarkovic-Obradovic. “The new podcast showcases some of the journalistic talent that has been nurtured by the programme over the years, and offers their insights into the events and processes behind the headlines.”
The first seven episodes are now available online. Follow the links below to hear:
The Fellowship of Journalistic Excellence is an annual bursary for long-form journalism supported by the Erste Foundation and implemented by BIRN. The Fellowship emphasizes strong storytelling and rigorous, on-the-ground reporting – qualities traditionally associated with the best magazine journalism.
But unlike the legacy outlets that dominate the global market in long-form journalism, the Fellowship works exclusively with reporters who belong to the societies they are examining. The programme is open to journalists from a region spanning 14 countries, from Poland and the Czech Republic to Greece and Romania.
On July 7 and 8, a training on AI and journalism was held at Global Village in Berlin led by two professionals from Maldita.es and a digital transformation expert.
It combined expertise in the development and application of AI technologies, as well as the governance, ethics and communication of AI systems within the media sector.
The training for 30 journalists from various European countries was organised with the goal of exploring the possibilities, potential and shortcomings of AI for non-profit media.
On the first day, the trainers from the Maldita.es team, Pablo Pérez Benavente and Patricia Ruiz Guevara, guided participants on the responsible use of AI in newsrooms.
Benavente showcased an overview of predictive models, embedding and large language models (LLMs), showing participants how to extract narratives and trends using AI-generated synthetic data and build and test a document-grounded chatbot.
Guevara discussed the challenges of working with AI-generated content in journalism and how to talk about AI in reporting.
They also addressed the legal implications of AI use in journalism, including the EU AI Act, data protection (GDPR), liability and transparency.
On day two, training continued with Camila Reed, a communications and digital transformation expert.
She guided participants on developing customised AI ethics guidelines for their newsrooms and how to integrate such guidelines into the newsroom workflow and culture.
The training was organised as part of the MOST project.
The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania (BIRN Albania) is announcing an open call for applications to produce in-depth articles on electoral integrity and political discourse in Albania.
BIRN is offering up to three grants for journalists to cover their expenses while conducting investigations and writing stories on topics related to electoral integrity and political discourse in Albania, as well as mentoring by experienced editors.
The call is part of the project “Evidence-Based Monitoring of Local Public Spending during Electoral Processes”, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by Qëndresa Qytetare in partnership with BIRN Albania.
The project aims to contribute to the enhancement of integrity, transparency and equal competition in Albania’s electoral processes by addressing some of the fundamental challenges and deficiencies, particularly those in relation to:
Misuse of public funds and public administration in relation to electoral processes;
Electoral crimes and the work of law enforcement bodies;
The impact of elections on the public administration and its politicization;
Transparency of political parties’ finances during election campaigns;
Involvement of persons with a criminal past in political parties and electoral processes;
Misuse of digital/social media or Artificial Intelligence and prevalence of hate speech in the political discourse;
Barriers encountered by women and youth toward political participation, etc.
The awarded journalists will receive a scholarship of 1,500 euros gross (minus personal income tax). They will have around three to five months to dig deeper and research their ideas. They will also have the opportunity to work with experienced editors as mentors to guide them through the process of writing in accordance with BIRN standards.
We encourage the submission of proposals for the production of relevant journalistic content by individuals or teams. We support various forms, including investigations, data-rich stories and features.
The call only applies to journalists from Albania with previous experience on this topic.
All applicants must be independent and free from conflicts of interest in the responsibilities they undertake.
Applicants may submit more than one application, but only one proposal per candidate will be selected.
Interested candidates should send their proposals in Albanian language by email to: [email protected], including: completed application form (click here to download the form); a CV and two examples of their previous work.
This year marks BIRN’s 20th anniversary. From exposing corruption to promoting human rights, BIRN’s investigative journalists collaborate across borders to find out the facts and tell people’s stories.
It all started in 2005, when five women from countries recovering from brutal wars defied the odds to establish what would become a major independent media organisation – the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network – in the traditionally patriarchal region of the Western Balkans. They were Gordana Igric, Nerma Jelacic, Ana Petruseva, Dragana Solomon and Jeta Xharra.
Jeta has been Country Director of the BIRN office in Kosovo since then. She says the media landscape in Kosovo and the energy of the country back then were frustrating.
“We had just had the March [2004] riots and the media was seen as complicit, by fueling inter-ethnic violence. People were generally frustrated that Kosovo was not yet being allowed to become a [free] country, even though it was clear that from the rise of [Serbian leader Slobodan] Milosevic that is what the majority of people wanted.
“The 2004 March riots were a particular warning for me, that we urgently needed to provide unbiased, balanced, independent, watchdog and scrutinizing journalism that would broadcast to the masses – and not just in an online portal in English, where only the most sophisticated people who read English would be informed,” Jeta explains.
“I collaborated with Faik Ispahiu, a brilliant theatre director in Kosovo, to produce this programme, for which I spent one year fundraising. When one out of the 20 donors I contacted said ‘yes’ to funding the programme, I pleaded with the director of the public TV for months to give me a TV time slot,” she recalls.
“He gave me a 23:30 time slot, which was so late, a type of grave slot, but I knew we’d address topics nobody else was brave enough to address like the secret services of the different political parties existing at the time, corruption, violence against women etc.,” Jeta says.
After a year, when viewership figures were measured, it was the second most-watched informative programme after the evening news.
“That public TV director who’d first spent so much time avoiding me and gave me such a late schedule called and said: ‘We have to do something about putting your programme on prime time because way too many people are watching it.’ So, we earned our right to a 20:30 TV slot and were the only BIRN product that was weekly on any television in the region, talking to a mainstream audience, which we tried hard to educate and emancipate, not just inform,” she recalls.
“We broadcast on public TV until May 2020, when we were kicked out because of pressure from an oligarch [Blerim Devolli] we were investigating who ordered the then RTK Director to kick us out. Today, that RTK Director, Ngadhnjim Kastrati, works for a television close to that oligarch. Clearly, he was rewarded for throwing us off the public TV, but on the other hand, our investigation saved 17 million euros of Kosovo public funds and won the best EU Investigative story in 2021,” she says.
“So, there is a price to pay for investigations but there is also a lot of impact. After we were kicked out of public TV, a very vibrant young TV channel, RTV Dukagjini, acquired our programmes and today, BIRN Kosovo, with a local partner organisation, Internews Kosovo, co-produces three programmes a week in primetime in this private TV station.”
Struggles over funding and security
For all this hard and dedicated work, the founders still confront obstacles in working as an independent regional media organisation.
“Our struggle is largely about securing funding for investigations, which are time-consuming and costly. After funding, training people to do the job professionally is also a challenge – we basically train everybody on the job, as our educational system in the Western Balkans does not prepare people to be critical thinkers
“Thirdly, clearly, the security of our staff is a challenge, as they are sometimes intimidated and harassed for the work they do. Protecting our whistleblowers is also a challenge because they have been known to lose their jobs and even risk being arrested for exposing corruption in our investigations. We do our best to support journalists and whistleblowers, and in BIRN Kosovo we do this with a very strong legal office that can assist these people in court.
“Ultimately, our work is worth it because we have some very brave and brilliant journalists working for us. For example, Kreshnik Gashi’s investigation, which started from a tip that a Serbian smuggler gave us from north Kosovo, resulted in the arrest of more than 10 Albanian and Serbian police and customs officers as well as smugglers who were doing contraband trade in the north of Kosovo.
“It gives me peace to know that there is a generation of journalists out there, beyond us, the ‘founding mothers’ of BIRN, that are carrying the flame of brave work in post-war Western Balkans. We are incredibly honoured that these journalists are a part of the BIRN team and I get such great energy working with them every day,” Jeta says.
Speaking of what BIRN represents to her personally, Jeta calls it “a community of fighters for accurate, unbiased and independent journalists who will not bow down to financial and political pressures.
“BIRN also tells the story of media professionals who do not need to be run by internationals to be brave and impartial enough to produce top-class journalism meeting international standards. We are largely run by a mantra that Goca Igric, the main founding mother of BIRN, installed in our brains: ‘Don’t write what you know, write what you can prove’,” she says.
Hope in the younger generation
When she thinks of BIRN today, she thinks of the younger generation of people in Kosovo. They include Albulena Sadiku, Deputy Director of BIRN Kosovo, who is the force behind fundraising for paying salaries of 70 people that work for BIRN in Kosovo, Kreshnik Gashi and Visar Prebreza, “both award-winning investigative journalists who have faced threats for the work they do but have never bowed down to this, and continue to produce work that makes the powerful uncomfortable.
“BIRN represents the watchdog that our countries need to lead them into modernity and closer to EU standards – so I would best call BIRN ‘an organised civil society’ that is fighting ‘organised crime’ in the Western Balkans. Finally, what BIRN represents most is credible information – if you read us, you are most likely to find the most truthful version of the story possible, and accurate information is worth a fortune these days, and it always has been,” Jeta adds.
But, what were her expectations in 2005, and has she met them?
“In terms of what the media is capable of doing, I think we have exceeded expectations because of the impact we have had in the society by ensuring public money is better spent, that culprits are often arrested, and the powerful are more fearful … because of our existence.
‘However, as Kosovo was the least developed part of former Yugoslavia with the least investment, I’m not happy with how slowly my country has developed and that we have not managed to speed up our country’s progress more than we have. I believe the media is very powerful and truly a ‘fourth pillar’, so I feel we need to take some responsibility for our Western Balkan societies, which are still so far away from EU membership in 2025,” Jeta explains.
In her opinion, the network’s totally unexpected growth was one of the most significant changes in the organisation in the first 20 years.
“We were a team of five aficionados that founded BIRN in 2005, never imagining that we would have a team of 300 people working for us throughout the region. The change is obvious. Most people thought we would fizzle out – that we would run out of money and would not have the energy to withhold our journalism that was expensive, fearless and independent. Not only did we not fizzle out and close down but we grew and are still growing. We were five individual journalists who knew what we wanted in 2005 – and today we are unquestionably an institution for credible journalism,” Jeta says.
In addition to all her work as Country Director, she still hosts the award-winning current affairs TV programme Life in Kosovo. Explaining how she manages everything, she explains: “I can host the programme because I work with such a capable team. De facto, Albulena Sadiku [Deputy Director of BIRN Kosovo and Head of Development] runs BIRN while I do the journalism. Because we have so many good journalists who work for us, I have been able to set up a completely new project, a museum of the resistance of the 1990s, called Reporting House. I invite you all to come and see it in central Pristina.”
Huge debt owed to Gordana Igric
Would Jeta have done anything differently in her professional path during the past 20 years?
“If I’d changed that path, probably a lot of things that have happened may not have happened, so this is a tricky ‘what-if’ question,” she says.
“All the good and the bad I did professionally have led to this incredibly vibrant organisation that we have today, which is alive and kicking, feared by all officials in Kosovo, and an address for corruption reporting. This was done with such amazing teamwork that it was simply not possible to be done by one person. I almost have a feeling that even if I’d done something differently, these 50 or so people who work now in BIRN would have made the organisation what it is, with or without me. Society needed BIRN Kosovo to do what it does, and that is why it exists, despite what I may or may not have done.”
But, she would have done one thing differently.
“What I would seriously have liked to have done differently, and maybe there is still time to correct that, is create a retirement fund for our founding mother of BIRN, Goca Igric, who retired early, after setting up BIRN, often sacrificing her own salary to pay journalists in the early days when we were not heavily funded. I feel we owe her a lot…. I want to make this better somehow.”
Speaking of the future, Jeta says: “Hopefully, [we are] even more relevant than today because we are heading into uncharted territories where a lot of what should be journalism is now ‘content production’, social media and AI influenced, short clipped, angled to a short attention span audience. In this kind of bombardment of information, we are facing a blunted audience that is finding it hard to differentiate fake news from truth, and credible from suspicious sourcing of information, so the industry is saturated with just information.
“That is why credibility, accuracy and fact-checking are more important than ever. We have the right, skilled people to tackle this challenge in this era, so I think we are going to be even more relevant in the future than in the past. Also, we are the only true cross-regional outlet in English that has people all over the Western Balkans. You can’t find a medium like Balkan Insight in the region, so it is not going anywhere soon!”
‘Tour guide’ in her spare time
At the end, Jeta discusses what she likes to do during her spare time.
“I build museums in my spare time. I am digging through archives. Recently, I went down the Trepca mine, almost 1 km underground, walking in the tunnels for hours with our museum curator, Gazmend Ejupi, in order to tell its story and produce this incredible installation with Trepca minerals, which marks the 100-year anniversary of when Trepca ore started to be explored in the industrial age.
“So, I am interested in preserving the collective memory of Kosovo in my spare time and working with artists, not just journalists and researchers in this field. This has been so refreshing, to occupy my brain with periods of history that are not ‘current affairs’ and look at this material with creative and talented artists who think in a completely different way from journalists.”
Jeta says this project her helped “stretch” her brain in different directions.
“That is why I am also thankful to BIRN – it is an organisation that allows you the freedom to develop such projects. It is now in the BIRN mandate to build museums; it is in the statute of our organisation. That’s why I believe we will become even more relevant in the future because so many people from different fields are interested in collaborating with us and contributing their archives to our museum.
“It’s become a community museum. Almost 11,000 people have visited Reporting House since it opened in June 2024, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the NATO bombing. It is becoming part of the city, telling the story of how Kosovo came to be a country, and students, pupils, and lots of tourists are all visiting. So, I have become a museum guide in my free time. What fun!” she concludes.
Investigative journalists, rights campaigners, political analysts, justice experts and representatives of international NGOs explain why the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network plays such an important role in the region.
For our 20th anniversary, we asked some of our leading supporters, international colleagues, journalistic collaborators, donor organisations and project partners to send a few words offering their view of BIRN’s significance in the Balkans. This is what they told us.
Slobodan GeorgievDirector of NewsMax Adria in Serbia, former BIRN journalist
“BIRN was founded to preserve and develop professional journalism in this region, to train journalists to be real journalists – seekers of truth and uncompromising guardians of this important profession. In 20 years, BIRN has not only achieved this but has become a medium without which true journalism in the entire region cannot be imagined and which has become the main source of information about the region for the entire world.
“What was the initiative of a few brave women 20 years ago is now an institution that literally shows every day, especially in Serbia, that it is an indispensable institution for the best possible journalism. I am proud to have been a part of BIRN for 13 years, and for me, those are the most important years in my professional work so far.”
Milka Tadic Mijovic Director, Centre for Investigative journalism of Montenegro
“BIRN is special to me, professionally and emotionally. I was involved in the work of BIRN in various ways from the first days. I occasionally wrote for the network, but my friendship with Gordana Igric [one of BIRN’s founders], with whom I have collaborated since the nineties, tied me in a special way to the organisation, which I experienced as something of my own. I was impressed by Goca’s energy, which she invested in the project, and the professional ethics on which BIRN was based, which grew into a witness to the stormy history of the region in the last two decades.
“I think witnessing and writing about the most difficult topics, an authoritarian culture and a corrupt society, where political elites rule mainly by abusing power, is BIRN’s most significant value. BIRN is especially important because of the transitional justice project, because dealing with a complicated past does not go well for these societies, and the written pages, testimonies, and collected documentation in BIRN’s archive about wars and crimes are also valuable for those who will come after us.”
Stavros MalichudisInvestigative reporter at Greek media outlet Solomon
“It’s been a pleasure working with BIRN; I’ve always admired their fearless reporters and talented editors who are dedicated to public-interest journalism. I trust their integrity and commitment to quality. I see BIRN as an investigative powerhouse for the entire Balkan region, producing work that is vital for all our countries.
“Moreover, BIRN gave me a pivotal opportunity. In 2019, during my fellowship with the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence, I realised that a different kind of journalism is possible. It showed me that journalism can take the time and resources to delve deeply into a topic, creating content that truly resonates with readers and benefits society as a whole.”
Vesna Terselic. Photo courtesy of Vesna Terselic.
Vesna TerselicHead of Documenta – Centre for Dealing with the Past, Zagreb
“BIRN is one of the rare media outlets interested in the fate of victims and survivors. It restores my faith in journalism, which is motivated by concern for people and facing the past to build sustainable peace. Investigative stories by journalists who reflect on the motives of the perpetrators of crimes, as well as those who still support them today, capture the attention of everyone who is concerned about today’s growing dehumanisation and militarisation.
“It is especially important that BIRN fearlessly recalls the judgments of the Hague Tribunal and domestic courts at a time when there are fewer and fewer reports from war crimes trials, and some of the highest officials of the post-Yugoslav countries question the facts established by the courts about the killed, missing and detained.”
Afrim KrasniqiPolitical expert, Albania Institute for Political Studies
“In my personal opinion, BIRN represents a different media model for countries like Albania: it was established, funded, and supported by Western institutions, in contrast to the local media landscape, which is largely created, financed, and controlled through connections between politics and domestic oligarchies. This form of ‘media import’ may not be a permanent solution, but it is necessary as a transitional mechanism until the Western Balkans complete their integration cycle.
“This approach has proven successful because the BIRN model in countries like Albania has not become subject to censorship, has emerged as a credible source of reference, and has sent a clear message: that a professional media outlet based on the principles of journalism can have a positive impact on the image of the media himself and the broader democratic culture. In essence, it represents a model of the kind of media we do not yet have within our own countries.”
“With the closure or downsizing of outlets such as Voice of America, the BBC and Radio Free Europe in the region, the value of BIRN – and the need for such models at the current time – has only increased. This experience also underlines the vital need for an EU-led media reform package in the Western Balkans to help establish more mechanisms and safeguards for free thought, professional reporting, public interest journalism, and news that is free from political or clientelist influence.”
Alexia KalaitziGreek TV journalist
“BIRN supports and promotes the kind of journalism we want to see – and need – in the Balkans: journalism produced by Balkan journalists for both regional and international audiences. At the same time, it is committed to fostering a new generation of investigative reporters.
“As a BIRN [Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence] fellow, I was given the rare opportunity to cover in depth a story that affects Greece and many of its people. Working with the Network’s editors and staff not only made me a better journalist, but also allowed me to build a strong network of Balkan colleagues with whom I share common values and a shared vision for quality reporting across the region.”
Leila Bicakcic. Photo courtesy of Leila Bicakcic.
Leila BicakcicDirector, Centre for Investigative Reporting, Bosnia and Herzegovina
“BIRN brought a new perspective on journalism in the region and showed that journalism can contribute to a better society, a better understanding of complex topics, and the building of a democratic foundation in the countries created by the break-up of Yugoslavia.
“Transitional justice, corruption, social transition and other areas would still remain abstract topics for citizens today if BIRN journalists did not contribute to their understanding by slowly introducing them as mainstream topics and clarifying unfamiliar concepts.
“In Bosnia and Herzegovina, BIRN is the only newsroom that continuously reports on war crimes, monitoring war crimes trials, and transitional justice. Children in schools will learn about these issues, among other things, based on materials collected by BIRN. It is an immeasurable contribution to reconciliation and dealing with the past, which would not have been possible without BIRN. On the other hand, without reconciliation and facing the events of the 1990s, democratic societies in the Balkans are not possible.”
Nora AhmetajTransitional justice expert, Kosovo
“I wanted to take a moment to express my admiration for the exceptional work that BIRN has been doing in the region for decades now. As someone who has closely followed your coverage of transitional justice issues and contributed, I believe that BIRN is truly unique in its approach. Your commitment to tackling these complex and sensitive topics in a professional and nuanced manner is unparalleled.
“What I appreciate most about BIRN is its ability to serve as a valuable resource for both locals and foreigners interested in transitional justice in the region. Your website is an indispensable guide for those seeking to navigate this complex field, and your work provides a vital foundation for further exploration and research.”
Christoph PlateDirector of Media Programme South East Europe, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
“Throughout the years we at the KAS Media Programme Southeast Europe have seen BIRN’s dedication to empower journalists to work independently, even in challenging environments where media freedom is sometimes under pressure. For us as a regional programme, BIRN’s cross-border collaboration between journalists from different countries is highly valued. Furthermore, the English-language website Balkan Inside is a source for trustworthy news from the whole region.
Jakub Gornicki. Photo courtesy of Jakub Gornicki.
Jakub GórnickiCEO of visual storytelling platform Outriders, Poland
“BIRN has become an essential voice for accountability, transparency, and truth in Southeast Europe. Over the past 20 years, its courageous journalism and commitment to public interest reporting have built a trusted platform that not only informs but empowers citizens and challenges those in power. BIRN’s work is a cornerstone of democratic resilience in the region – and more important than ever in today’s complex information landscape.”
Maribel KönigerDirector for journalism and media, ERSTE Foundation
“In regions where media freedom is often under threat, BIRN provides an important platform for independent journalism. For almost 20 years, BIRN has been a trusted partner of ERSTE Foundation, supporting countless journalists who conduct cross-border research and quality journalism. It is the network that all journalists are looking for, a rock in the storm and a victorious champion in pointless SLAPP lawsuits, a hub for knowledge and further training with the best editors. BIRN is not just important. It is a benchmark in the sector. It reveals the facts.”
Gurkan Ozturan Media freedom monitoring officer, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom
“While democratic backsliding, media capture, and disinformation remain a challenge in the Balkans, BIRN plays a crucial role in advancing the understanding of transparency and accountability. Both news readers and civil society organisations that follow BIRN’s committed cross-border investigative journalism and regional news coverage as well as inclusive storytelling, feel the encouragement to hold power to account and demand transparency, justice and respect for democratic principles.”
Ryan Powell. Photo courtesy of Ryan Powell.
Ryan PowellHead of innovation and media business, International Press Institute
“BIRN is a critical voice, network, and publisher moving the dial on journalism in the Balkans. BIRN brings a critical source of solidarity for investigative journalists across the region doing the time intensive and challenging work of data collection, research and verification that goes into long form, accountability reporting. More than that, BIRN regularly rethinks and reviews their strategy – seeking to answer how to best nurture the space for quality and independent investigative reporting. They are also a great partner of the International Press Institute and a close connection as we monitor press freedom and support independent journalism in South East Europe.”
Renate SchroederDirector, European Federation of Journalists
“In the Balkan region and in South Eastern Europe, the people’s right to accurate and reliable information is even more under pressure with media capture, weakened business models and autocratic leaders using smear campaigns against journalists and a shrinking public sphere. BIRN is a precious pearl of independent investigative local journalism providing accurate information and thereby serving as a great antidote to disinformation and propaganda.”
Kurt BassuenerPolitical expert, Democratisation Policy Council, Berlin
“Over the past two decades, BIRN correspondents have delivered readers both broad and deep, informed coverage of what now is called ‘the Western Balkans.’ Its investigative reporting has often broken new ground – and presented ‘the international community’ with realities about ‘partners’ in the political realm which they would prefer to ignore.
“In addition, BIRN has remained a pillar in a media landscape which has changed and fragmented radically since its foundation, with ever greater traction of disinformation in the social media space (including emanating from ‘the West’). Therefore, fact-based reporting and analysis is more important than ever. Furthermore, the region has diminished in the Western public policy consciousness over the past 20 years, making BIRN’s role all the more vital.”
Michael Montgomery. Photo courtesy of Michael Montgomery.
Michael MontgomeryInvestigative journalist, Centre for Investigative Reporting, San Francisco
“In a region still dealing with the legacy of war, corruption and constant attacks on civil society, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network provides in-depth, fact-based journalism that holds the powerful accountable, whether governments, corporations or other actors and institutions.
“Its reporting on war crimes, misuse of public funds, political abuses, the environment and other issues helps empower citizens with the information they need to demand justice and good governance. By filling the severe gaps left by state-controlled media, BIRN serves as a key watchdog and a voice for the public interest. To accomplish all this over two decades, BIRN’s journalists have displayed unflinching courage and resilience.”
Kenneth MorrisonProfessor of history and the director of the Institute of Humanities and Political Studies at De Montfort University, UK
“For two decades, BIRN has been an important pillar of quality journalism. With a focus not just on daily news, but on human rights, geopolitics, and transitional, social, gender and environmental justice, it has become the most reliable source of information and analysis in the region. This makes it more than merely a news website – it is a vital source of information for those that want to look beyond the headlines and to access high quality, objective investigative journalism, and sharp, well-informed analysis. It is impossible to imagine the regional media landscape without BIRN, and 20 years on from its creation – and in a time of widespread misinformation, denial of war crimes, and unrelenting pressures on media freedom – its work and ethos is more important than ever.”
Fred AbrahamsAuthor and human rights researcher
“BIRN’s most enduring contribution has been its commitment to independence. In a region where media outlets are often influenced by political or financial interests, if not controlled by them, the pursuit of fact-based journalism remains essential – especially on sensitive issues like corruption and war crimes trials, where public perception and political sensitivities complicate efforts to report with balance.”
Eric Gordy. Photo courtesy of Eric Gordy.
Eric GordyProfessor of political and cultural sociology, University College London
“BIRN is the most comprehensive and regularly updated site for news and analysis on Southeast Europe, and the quality is consistently high: it is reliable, rigorously independent, and frequently, in its research-based feature articles, deep. For students studying the region I maintain a list of media sites in the region, and the BIRN site Balkan Insight is, especially for the students using English-language sources, the one they depend on the most. BIRN is providing a real service, and it has continued providing it regularly regardless of whether the region is getting a lot of international attention or not.”
Blake MorrisonInvestigative journalist at Reuters, BIRN Summer School lead trainer
“For 20 years, BIRN has played a critical role in seeking the truth, delivering the facts and bringing hope for better tomorrows to its ever-growing audience. Its journalists have gone to extraordinary lengths to hold power to account, regardless of risk or challenge. ”
Maria GeorgievaSwedish investigative journalist and documentary maker
“In my view, BIRN is vitally important because it stands as a beacon of independent, high-quality investigative journalism in a region where media often face political and economic pressures. By empowering journalists through training, mentorship, and resources, BIRN strengthens the capacity of the media to hold power to account, promote transparency, and foster public debate on critical issues such as democracy, human rights, and European integration. Its regional network approach uniquely combines local expertise with cross-border cooperation, helping to build a more informed and engaged citizenry while supporting media freedom and integrity.”
“BIRN’s commitment to rigorous, fact-checked reporting and its role in nurturing a new generation of journalists make it an indispensable actor for democratic development and social justice in Eastern and Southeast Europe. It is not just a media organisation but a catalyst for positive change and accountability in societies that continue to face complex post-conflict and transitional challenges.”
Lena Klopcic. Photo courtesy of Lena Klopcic.
Alenka Lena KlopcicEnergy and climate consultant
“BIRN is important as a corruption watchdog, as a guardian of the truth, which is the highest power, and hence as a great defender of social balance.”
Aljosa Ajanovic AndelicPolicy adviser, European Digital Rights
“At European Digital Rights (EDRi), we deeply admire the incommensurable work BIRN does in shedding light on digital rights abuses, corruption, surveillance, and broader human rights violations across the Balkans, at its borders, and beyond. As an investigative journalism network, BIRN plays a crucial role in holding power – whether corporate or governmental – to account and in giving voice to those too often silenced.
“We share important spaces, such as the Civic Journalism Coalition, and your reporting has proven essential for advocacy-focused organisations like EDRi. In some cases, your investigations are the only available evidence of otherwise hidden human rights violations.”
Ali FeganInvestigative reporter at SVT
“When crime and corruption flourishes BIRN is not only the most important watchdog, it also guarantees the growth of new talented investigative reporters in the Balkans.”
Nicolas GrossmanGlobal Center on AI Governance
“BIRN is an important reference for research and analysis in the region, providing highly valuable insights into the governance and implementation of new technologies to ensure they protect and promote human rights. We have had the privilege of working with them through the Global Index on Responsible AI and have seen first-hand the excellence of their team and their extensive network, which reaches across the entire Balkans.”
Ahmet Erdi OzturkExpert on Turkey, the Balkans and religion at London Metropolitan University
“Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network is not merely about marking the longevity of a media outlet – it is about acknowledging the essential role BIRN plays as a semi-academic platform and a unique network of experts working across one of the most complex and historically rich regions in the world: the Balkans.
“A region that continues to shape both peace and conflict in Europe, the Balkans demand nuanced, deeply informed analysis. BIRN offers just that – bringing together local insight and regional expertise to uncover what often escapes the headlines and presenting it with clarity, integrity and depth.”
Davor Gjenero. Photo courtesy of Davor Gjenero.
Davor GjeneroCroatian political analyst
“At the beginning of the democratic transition, in ‘A Letter to a Polish Friend’, [political scientist] Ralf Dahrendorf taught us that a democratic constitutional model and a system of economic freedoms based on a free market will be relatively easy to build in the new democracies but that the most problems will be with the construction of civil society and that it will take the most time.
“When BIRN and the Balkan Insight platform were founded, the democratic deficit of the Balkan states and economic problems were discussed. Nevertheless, the key issue that Dahrendorf warned us about – about the construction of civil society institutions – was on the back-burner for many. That is why the fact that BIRN created a network of non-governmental organisations in the Balkans aimed at the development of media freedom, with a focus not only on democratic institutions and economic processes but also on building civil society, was extremely important.”
Shqipe GjocajBalkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence alumnus, gender specialist, Kosovo
“One of BIRN’s core roles is empowering journalists through development programs. With the support of experienced editors and practical, hands-on editorial sessions, these programmes make the journalistic process more effective, safer, and higher in quality, for both emerging and experienced journalists. Beyond enabling the production of independent and impactful stories, the skills gained through BIRN’s programmes are long-lasting and essential for a strong and resilient career in journalism.”
Milorad PupovacHead of the Serbian National Council in Croatia
“On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of your hard work, above all, on the reporting of war crimes trials, I want to emphasise how important and valuable that mission is in the current global difficulties.
“As I have emphasised on numerous occasions commemorating the victims of war crimes, one should be ashamed of the crime committed by someone in the name of the people to which I belong and never incite hatred towards others just because someone committed a crime against your people. Building peace and trust has no alternative. I think your role is invaluable in that regard; persevere on that path; it is important for all people who have experienced the weight and tragedy of war in this area of ours.”
Fatos LubonjaAuthor and former political prisoner under the communist regime in Albania
“BIRN has become important, a point of reference in Albania as it stands outside our media system, which is almost entirely part of the triangle of political power, financial power and media power that rules Albania. In a kingdom of lies, BIRN still keeps the voice of truth and the courage of reason somewhat alive.”
