Category: News and Events

BIRN Kosovo Holds Intensive Training for Journalists on Violent Extremism

Five-day training course (24-28 of October 2024) was organised into specific segments, allowing participants to better understand extremism within local, regional, and global contexts.

The training began at Civil Society House in Prishtina, where representatives of GCERF – Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund – and NGOs shared experiences in combating extremism and terrorism, focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration in Kosovo.

Organisations including ATRC – Advocacy Training and Resource Centre – the youth organisation RinON, and BIRN Kosovo discussed their efforts to combat religious extremism and ethnonationalism. The second part of the day involved a meeting in Hani i Elezit with Mayor Mehmet Ballazhi, who praised the municipality’s approach towards rehabilitating returnees and engaging the community.

The head of the Referral Mechanism emphasized their active cooperation with civil society organisations and with BIRN Kosovo, particularly on skills like cybersecurity and privacy documentation.

The second day featured an address by Kreshnik Gashi from Kallxo.com, on ethical reporting on violent extremism and terrorism. Labinot Leposhtica, from BIRN Kosovo, presented studies on the causes of extremism and the reintegration of returnees, contrasting Albania’s targeted approach with that of Kosovo.

Lejdi Dervishi, Albania’s National Coordinator on Countering Extremism, discussed the importance of regional cooperation in rehabilitation efforts. Iris Luarasi from the Counseling Line for Women and Girls emphasized advocacy and strategic communication to combat the stigma faced by returnees, highlighting issues surrounding identity exposure in media coverage.

The day concluded with a documentary screening by BIRN, Extremism and Radicalism, which explored various perspectives on the motivations behind joining foreign conflicts.

On the third day of training, Kreshnik Gashi gave a presentation on right-wing extremist groups in the Balkans, followed by Mensur Hoti’s overview of Kosovo’s anti-terrorism strategy, encompassing prevention, protection, pursuit, and response.

Fatos Makolli discussed the current terrorism situation in Kosovo, while Luan Keka led a session on the rise of religious extremism in Europe and its impact in Kosovo. The day concluded with a panel on the reintegration of individuals returning from war zones and a documentary, The Danger from Extremism, highlighting updated perspectives on extremism and terrorism cases.

The fourth day was focused on building communication between security institutions and journalists in crisis situations and lessons learned from the case of Kosovo and building educational media campaigns to educate the public on the prevention of violent extremism, including the importance of building editorial policies to stop the spread of extremist ideologies in the media and social networks.

An important aspect of the day was the protection of privacy and confidentiality of persons involved in the resocialization process and concrete policies, especially for children and women.

On the final day, participants conducted a study visit to the Correctional facility of Dubrava in Istog, Kosovo, and by visiting this correctional centre, gained a more practical perspective on how those sentenced by courts for terrorism are doing their sentences.

The study visit was led by the director of this centre, which is one of the largest prisons in Kosovo, with a capacity for around 1,000 people.

He welcomed the group and explained in detail the process inside this facility, which includes educational and recreative programmes and monitoring of their actions by psychologists and other staff members of the centre.

The training included 20 participants, 10 of whom were women. The participants actively engaged in the training, sharing experiences and asking questions on how to effectively deal with terrorism and violent extremism.

The training was part of the “Resilient Community Programme” funded by GCERF.

BIRN Investigation Wins Second Prize in Regional EU Award for Best Investigative Journalism 2024

Jury praises Sasa Dragojlo’s investigation into people-smuggling gangs in northern Serbia for shining a spotlight on a previously unreported story of great regional and European significance.

A BIRN investigation into armed people-smugglers in northern Serbia along the “Balkan refugee route” won second prize in the Regional EU Award for Investigative Journalism 2024.

Sasa Dragojlo from Balkan Insight received the award for his investigation, “Albanian-Supplied AKs Fuel Violence on Refugee Route Through Serbia”, at the awards ceremony in Ankara on October 25.

The story probes the role of North African gangs in the traffic and the implications for security across Europe.

“I am really happy about the award because it gives new life to the story. In the poor state of journalism, not just in Serbia but globally, the awards are a sign that our work still matters,” he told BIRN.

“The story I did about the war of people-smuggling gangs in the north of Serbia that took so many lives is one of the most complex stories I ever did and crowns three years of investigative work into this type of underworld,” Dragojlo added.

“Over more than six months of collecting evidence, we could describe not only who the gangs were and how they operate – who their leaders were – but also the local Kosovo Albanian mafia that supplied them with weapons as well as the corruption of Serbian police.

“We had so much evidence that we could name the people responsible, practically making a case for the prosecution. The work on this story was so challenging that I think it changed me not just as a journalist but also as a person – for the better, I think,” Dragojlo continued.

The jury classified BIRN’s article as one of the most methodologically complex examples of investigative journalism in the region, taking into account the amount and variety of evidence collected about armed criminal gangs of foreign origin, as well as the Albanian mafia identified as their main arms suppliers.

The jury concluded that a previously unreported story had put a spotlight on an underworld unknown not just to the wider public but also to the expert community.

Conflicts between smuggling gangs in the north of Serbia have claimed a large number of lives, causing unrest among ordinary refugees but also among the local population.

The jury said the investigation has strong regional importance, since it covers the regional issue of migration, the infamous “Balkan route,” and transnational organised crime from several countries, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania, as well as the phenomenon of migrant smuggling gangs of Morrocan and Afghan origin.

According to them it illustrates a broader picture of one of the biggest current structural problems the European continent faces.

Ksenija Pavkov from N1 from Serbia won first prize for her investigation, “Under the Surface: In the Net,” which exposes the hidden layers of criminal networks, revealing collaborations between crime syndicates and corrupt officials.

Vanja Stokic and Ajdin Kamber from e-Trafika from Bosnia and Herzegovina won third prize for their documentary film “Brother,” which chronicles the struggles faced by migrants, weaving a poignant tale of loss and displacement.

The film covers 18 locations across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia revealing more than 50 graves of unidentified refugees and migrants, many of which lack markings. The documentary has received over 30 awards, and an article that was included in the preliminary shortlist for the 2024 European Press Prize.

Ambassador Thomas Hans Ossowski, Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, handed the awarded journalists their certificates, congratulating them and highlighting the importance of investigative journalism.

The jury consisted of Dunja Mijatovic, Drago Hedl, and Can Ertuna.

Mijatovic is a former Commissioner for Human Rights (2018-2024) with previous experience as the OSCE’s Representative on Freedom of the Media. Hedl is a seasoned journalist and author who has worked for Radio Free Europe, The Guardian, Time Magazine, and others. Ertuna is an assistant professor at Turkey’s Bahçeşehir University with more than 25 years’ experience, focused on reporting on conflicts and refugee crises for both Turkish and international outlets.

BIRN Webinar: Main Findings of the Global Index on Responsible AI in Southeastern Europe

Join us for an insight-filled webinar on November 12 at 3pm (CET) to hear BIRN researchers discuss the main findings from the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI), with a specific focus on southeast Europe.

The event will provide a comprehensive overview of the region’s progress, challenges and best practices in responsible AI, drawing from the Global Index on Responsible AI’s 2024 report.

Sign up here to attend the webinar.

Date: November 12, 2024
Time: 3pm (CET)

Agenda Highlights:

Introduction to the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) – Nicolas Grossman, Globar Center on AI Governance

This segment will introduce GIRAI’s methodology, including the framework, key indicators and benchmarks that measure responsible AI on social, technical and political fronts. Learn how GIRAI tracks and evaluates governmental commitments to ethical AI practices.

Key Findings for Southeast Europe – BIRN Researchers

Explore GIRAI 2024’s critical insights on responsible AI governance in southeast Europe, covering EU countries and the Western Balkans. The presentation will include:

  • Regional analysis of advancements and ongoing challenges.
  • Case studies and success stories from selected countries.
  • Lessons learned in the data collection process and the first edition of the global index.
  • Best practices to foster responsible AI development.

Q&A Session

An open-floor discussion where attendees can pose questions to the panel, deepening their understanding of GIRAI’s findings and their implications for southeast Europe.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with experts on responsible AI governance and learn about key trends shaping AI policy in southeast Europe. Applications are open until November 12, 10am (CET).

BIRN Albania Report on anti-NATO and anti-EU Disinformation in Albanian Media Launched

Report blames weak editorial procedures and lack of resources for much of the hostile anti-Western disinformation flowing into the Albanian-language media.

A new study by BIRN Albania that analyzed more than 193,000 articles in 36 Albanian-language news portals reveals how, even in a strongly pro-NATO and pro-EU country, the disinformation narratives of malign foreign actors can penetrate media that have not developed strong editorial procedures and controls.

Research carried by two media experts on behalf of BIRN Albania on disinformation campaigns or narratives by foreign malign forces concluded that such narratives have been present in the Albanian language media environment over the last year, mainly through cracks in editorial procedures amid a myriad of online media outlets, both big and small, although overall the matter is not considered highly problematic.

Distribution of Disinformation Narratives Against NATO and the EU from Adversary Actors in Albanian Media was presented to the public on Friday.

The researchers, Emiljano Kaziaj and Viola Keta, noted that although Albania remains highly pro-NATO and pro-EU, hostile narratives spread by foreign forces can penetrate the media due to several factors, among which the most important seems to be the fragmented nature of the online media landscape,. with many news outlets operating on skeleton editorial staffs eager to get clicks without thinking about what they are publishing.

A copy-pasting culture that emphasizes getting anything possible on the website and with little or no original reporting creates opportunities for the distribution of disinformation narratives that usually aim to justify Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, portray NATO as a malign force that “provoked” Russia into war, or present the EU as an obsolete and divided structure.

Out of 193,000 news posts identified as related to NATO and the EU published across 36 online media outlets, some 15,177 contained information or points of view from the adversary actors, such as Russia, China or far-right politicians. Researchers interviewed journalists, editors and experts to get an insider view on the matter.

“From the point of view of the journalists and experts interviewed, anti-NATO and anti-EU disinformation does not yet pose a direct threat to the country’s politics or the political and social stability of Albania,” the researchers note.

“This however is a matter that needs to be kept under observation due to the ease with which fake news and or disinformation narratives can spread in an era of online platforms and social media news distribution,” they note.

Disinformation narratives often penetrate the Albanian media from the copy-pasting practice exercised by most online outlets, which, among thousands of news items that they copy from anywhere, also get news that is designed to spread a disinformation narrative.

“Among disinformation narratives, those that portray the European Union and NATO as sinister and expansive organisations with damaging policies against Russia and other countries, and with an agenda for exploitation of people and resources, are the most common,” the researchers note.

“Typically, narratives that target minority groups, such as refugees, LGBTQ or other vulnerable communities, can be detected as originating from the Kremlin, which aims to portray them as a threat to traditional values and as a sign of the degeneration of morals and of perversion,” they add.

The threat of all-out nuclear war between Russia and the West was the most effective disinformation narrative spread in the Albanian media, judged by the number of interactions that this type of news received in social media posts.

The researchers concluded that a lack of financial resources for independent reporting on crises or wars abroad, or on multinational bodies such as NATO and the European Union, are factors that push media to rely on other sources, such as state-owned foreign media that often provide services in Albanian, or use automatic translation to provide free content.

Full report in Albanian can be downloaded here.

Full report in English can be downloaded here.

Top Investigative Journalists in Türkiye Receive EU Awards

Four journalists were awarded for remarkable investigations in Türkiye at the EU Investigative Journalism Awards ceremony in Ankara on October 25.

Stories about political killing, misuse of the Red Crescent after the earthquakes in 2023 and bringing children from Brazil’s Amazon forests to Türkiye were awarded as the best investigative stories that year.

Asuman Aranca Kol, Murat Ağırel, Hale Gönülta and Thalys Augusto de Alcantara Anjos were announced as the winners.

First prize went to Asuman Aranca Kol for her investigation into the political murder of Sinan Ateş, exposing the connections between former far-right Grey Wolves (Ülkü Ocaklan) executives, political figures and law enforcement. The jury said the story had uncovered critical details that had kept the case in the public eye and intensified calls for justice.

Second prize was given to Murat Ağırel whose story revealed that, amidst the earthquake crisis, the Turkish Red Crescent sold emergency tents intended for quake victims.

The jury said the story reveals the Red Crescent’s management coordination problems, misuse of resources, and that a charity had effectively turned into a commercial enterprise. The report led to public outrage and the resignation of the Red Crescent’s then president.

Third prize went to Hale Gönülta and Thalys Augusto de Alcantara Anjos for documenting how the Süleymancılar organisation has brought children from Brazil’s Amazon forests to Türkiye, allegedly as part of a way to expand Turkish influence in the country. Following the report, the children were returned to Brazil.

Special recognition was awarded to Tunca Öğreten and Murat Baykara for their impactful, ethical coverage of Türkiye’s drug crisis, shedding light on a hidden yet critical public issue.

The jury consisted of Faruk Bildirici, Çiğdem Toker, and Tülay Ünal Öçten.

Bildirici is a veteran journalist since the 1980s who has held editorial roles at Cumhuriyet and Hürriyet and is a former RTÜK member and currently contributes to outlets including ANKAe and T24. Toker is an investigative journalist with over 35 years of experience, known for her coverage of public procurement, corruption and economic transparency, working at T24 and Now TV. Tülay Ünal Öçten is Ankara bureau chief at Now TV and has had a long career with TRT and Star TV.

Thomas Hans Ossowski, Head of the European Union’s delegation to Türkiye, gave a speech at the ceremony reconfirming the EU’s support for investigative journalism in the country and internationally.

BIRN Kosovo Publishes Report on Open Data and Digitalization in Western Balkans

New report highlights that donors often play a crucial role in supporting open data initiatives, which then stagnate once funding runs out.

On October 25, BIRN Kosovo held a conference to publish a report, “Data-Driven Governance: Strategies for Open Data in the Western Balkans”, which deals with the availability of open data and digitalization in the Western Balkans. A total of 27 participants, 15 of whom were women, attended.

Xheneta Murtezaj, researcher at BIRN Kosovo, opened the conference and presented the main. findings, stating that the research team had “reviewed how data is published, in what format, and whether it is accessible”.

According to Murtezaj, the report reveals that while donors play a crucial role in supporting open data and digitization initiatives, “new platforms often stagnate once donor funding ends, as institutions lack the willingness to push these projects forward independently”.

The report, based on the latest research on open data availability and digitalization in the Western Balkan, maps thousands of e-services and over 3,000 open data sets, including more than 50 interviews exploring key stakeholders’ capacities and engagement in these areas.

The research also highlights negative trends, such as data leaks, privacy breaches, inadequate responses to cyber-attacks and inconsistent policy applications, which pose significant challenges to progress.

The conference continued with a discussion panel moderated by Dorentina Kastrati, editor at BIRN, with panelists including: Arbian Arifi, acting chief of the Department for Data Protection at the Agency for Information and Privacy; Agron Ibishi, an IT expert in e-procurement at the Regulatory Commission for Public Procurement; Plator Avdiu, project manager at KDI and; Besfort Guri, board member of Free Libre Open Source Software Kosova, FLOSSK, an NGO.

According to Arban Arifi, open data “should be available on a state portal, with a designated official in each ministry responsible for updating the portal without the need for formal access requests”.

However, in some cases in Kosovo, municipalities have shared what is private information. For example, Gjakova municipality shared health data when distributing subsidies to people with special needs. The privacy agency fined the municipality, as “health data should not be equated with transparency”.

Avdiu from KDI said a major challenge with open data in Kosovo lies in its lack of interoperability across government sectors.

Agron Ibishi, an IT expert in public procurement, highlighted the advances made in open data since 2016 with the introduction of e-procurement aimed at streamlining processes and increasing efficiency for both contracting authorities and economic operators.

However, Besfort Guri, a board member of FLOSSK, emphasized that open data remains limited to specific sectors in Kosovo.

This public event is part of the “Open Data and Digitalization in the Western Balkans” grant supported by the Open Society Foundation Western Balkan and implemented by BIRN.

To read the full report, click this link.

BIRN Report on Open Data and Digitalization in Western Balkans Presented in Albania

On October 25, BIRN Albania presented the main findings of BIRN’s regional report, “Open Data and Digitalization in the Western Balkans: The State of Play”, to an audience of 25 drawn from the media, research and activist sectors.

The event in Albania was moderated by Kristina Voko, Executive Director of BIRN Albania and a national researcher for the study.

Voko highlighted key findings related to legal assessments, strategies, challenges, and opportunities for open data and digitalization in Albania.

Journalist Vladimir Karaj, who participated in the study, shared his own experiences requesting machine-readable data from public institutions. He discussed the responsiveness of these institutions to providing open, accessible data.

Journalist Ola Xama supported Karaj’s observations, sharing instances where public institutions had either denied data requests or provided data in inaccessible formats, complicating the research process.

Rigels Xhemollari, Executive Director of Civic Resistance, offered insights into public satisfaction in Albania with the e-Albania platform and highlighted the challenges faced by different demographics and local communities.

Megi Reci approached e-government from a human rights perspective, identifying instances of discrimination in data access.

The event concluded with participant discussions, which led to recommendations and ideas for future initiatives. This event is part of the “Open Data and Digitalization in the Western Balkans” project, supported by the Open Society Foundation for the Western Balkans.

The full report is available here.

BIRN Investigation Wins EU Award for Best Investigative Journalism in Bosnia

Jury members praise probe into massive online pyramid scheme as ‘textbook example of good journalism, saying it ‘reads like a crime novel’.

Detektor journalists Nino Bilajac and freelance Selma Ucanbarlic won First Prize in the European Union’s Award for Investigative Journalism for their work on the pyramid scheme of eMagnetix that cost many people their investments.

Bilajac and Ucanbarlic shared the prize with Aljazeera Balkans journalist Arduana Pribinja, who was awarded for the story, “Female Patients’ Accusations of Sexual Harassment in Zenica Hospital”.

During the investigation, “Dream Jobs Become Nightmares for Bosnians Lured By Hungarian’s Online Pyramid Scam”, which was carried out in cooperation with Raskrinkavanje, Detektor infiltrated the scheme and discovered that its organiser had registered fictitious companies in European countries, one of which is already under investigation for fraud.

The jury composed of Nidzara Ahmetasevic, Ozren Kebo and Dragana Dardic called Detektor’s investigative piece “a rarely well-researched story with numerous international and domestic sources – a textbook example of good journalism”.

“The effort invested in organising and explaining all the facts is obvious, and that effort deserves a reward. The combination of several journalistic genres with an innovative approach makes this article read like a crime novel,” Dardic said at the award ceremony in Sarajevo.

She added that everything was supported by statements, field trips, interviews with lawyers, expert findings, and that the story went beyond the borders of Bosnia, following the suspicious operations of the Hungarian tycoon’s company and revealing how he had deceived hundreds of people.

“We hope that this award will make the story more visible not only to the public but also to journalists in the region, and that we will read more stories done in this way,” Dardic said.

Bilajac said almost the entire organization had worked on realizing the investigation, with he and Ucanbarlic as the final authors, because the investigation’s international character required a lot of time, resources and patience.

“Pyramid schemes are hard to stop but I hope that, following this, research, investigative and security agencies will have a little more motivation to prevent .. this type of fraud – and that all those who think they can make money by doing nothing will finally realize that it is impossible and that … in no way can you earn thousands and thousands by clicking on the Internet,” he said.

Ucanbarlic said the story explained how one of the most massive pyramid schemes in the region had developed.

“This is not just a story about this pyramidal scam; this story warns of the dangers of cybercrime that threaten our communities and citizens every day, and therefore it is really important that we continuously report on this topic and warn our citizens, so that they do not become victims of cybercrime,” she added.

Second Prize was awarded to Dejan Rakita, from Misli o Prirodi portal and Detektor correspondent, for the story, “Trgovska gora: Why and how it was chosen, what exactly is being built there and what dangers it brings us”.

Third Prize was shared between Zurnal journalists Zinaida Djelilovic and Azra Omerovic for the story “International University of Gorazde: Doctor of Dentistry Obtained Degree Even though Faculty Had No Students Enrolled”, and Azhar Kalamujic, a journalist from the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIN), for the research, “Call Beg for Parking”.

EU Ambassador to Bosnia Luigi Soreca said during the award ceremony that journalism without fear and intimidation was the cornerstone of democracy.

“Today I want to honour the courage and dedication of investigative journalists across BiH, especially since journalists are too often the targets of threats,” he said, adding that the EU would continue to insist on the institutional protection of journalists.

Bilajac joined Detektor in 2022 and has received numerous awards, including the Eco Journalist Award for 2022, the EU Award for Investigative Journalism in 2021, as well as the Award for Outstanding Merit in Investigative Journalism in 2018 given by the South East European Media Organization (SEEMO) and the Central European Initiative (CEI).

He was shortlisted in 2017 for the Young Journalist Award given by the Thompson Foundation, and the European Press Prize in 2021.

The EU Award for Investigative Journalism celebrates the best investigative stories produced in the previous calendar year.

It is awarded in all six Western Balkan countries – Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Turkey.

Call for Applications Open: Reporting Digital Rights and Freedoms – Fellowship 2024 – Second Round

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is announcing the second open call for the Digital Rights and Freedoms Journalist Fellowship 2024. This initiative is designed to support and mentor journalists and media outlets in producing investigative stories that highlight and address the critical challenges of digital rights violations.

Empowering Journalism in the Digital Age

Awarded journalists will have a unique opportunity to collaborate closely with BIRN editors and our specialized digital rights team. As part of the fellowship, you will gain access to BIRN’s comprehensive monitoring database along with other valuable resources to support your investigative work. This collaboration is designed to equip you with the tools and knowledge necessary to delve deep into digital rights issues and produce impactful journalism. Ultimately, your written content, upon editors’ approval,  will be showcased as a long-form investigative piece in one of the BIRN’s channels (including but not limited to Balkan Insight, BIRD, local BIRN websites), offering a platform for amplifying your work with the aim to  inform and engage a wide audience.

What We Offer

  • Grants of EUR 1,000 for individual journalists or collaborative teams, intended to support six months of research focused on in-depth storytelling related to digital rights and freedoms.
  • On-the-job mentoring from BIRN editors and our Digital Rights Support Team, plus a two-day online training session to hone your investigative skills.
  • Networking opportunities with like-minded journalists and tech researchers across the region, building a network of professionals dedicated to safeguarding digital rights.

Who Can Apply?

  • Professional journalists and tech researchers, both individuals and teams, from media outlets from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey.
  • Previous participants of BIRN’s training are especially encouraged to apply.
  • We welcome cross-border team applications to foster regional collaboration.

Application Process

To apply for the Digital Rights and Freedoms Project Fellowship, please use this ECR form to submit your application. Ensure you include:

  • A detailed proposal outlining your intended story or investigation, focusing on its relevance, originality, and potential impact.
  • Your professional CV, with an emphasis on your past work in journalism or digital rights research.
  • A declaration form, affirming the authenticity of the information provided and your commitment to the project’s ethical standards.

BIRN will also organise an information session on 5 November 2024 at 13:00 (CET), and registration is open. Register HERE.

Submission Deadline: November 11, 2024

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

  • Relevance and significance of the proposed story
  • Feasibility and originality
  • Applicant’s professional qualifications and experience

A committee established by BIRN’s editorial team and an external professional will review the proposals.

Contact Us

For more information, please contact [email protected].

Join us in our mission to defend digital rights and freedoms. Apply now for the second round of Digital Rights and Freedoms Project Fellowship 2024!

BIRN’s Report on Open Data and Digitalization in Western Balkans Presented in Skopje

On October 18 in Skopje, representatives of state institutions, non-governmental organizations and researchers from North Macedonia discussed the main findings of BIRN’s report, Open Data and Digitalization in the Western Balkans: The State of Play.

The event brought together 15 representatives from state institutions, academia, non-governmental organizations and the media to review the main conclusions.

Open Data and Digitalization in the Western Balkans: The State of Play analyses the availability and digitalization of open data in the Western Balkans, thousands of e-services and maps over 3,000 open data sets.

More than 50 interviews were conducted to explore the capacities and engagement of key stakeholders in these areas. The research also highlights negative trends, such as data leaks, privacy breaches, inadequate responses to cyberattacks and inconsistent policy implementation, which pose challenges to progress.

The event in Skopje, moderated by the national researcher for North Macedonia, German Filkov, highlighted the main conclusions from the report and the research process, while also providing a platform for dialogue on open data and digitalization efforts both within the country and across the region.

The event began with a presentation by Filkov who outlined the research process, key conclusions and takeaways from the report.

This was followed by a panel discussion that included Gordana Dimitrovska Gapic, Open Government Partnership’s National Coordinator, Marijana Janceska from Foundation Metamorphosis and Konstantin Bitrakov, a researcher and teaching assistant at the Faculty of Law at Skopje’s Ss Cyril and Methodius University.

Gapic emphasized the importance of a structured and ongoing involvement of all institutions and stakeholders in the process of opening and utilizing data. She also shared insights into the creation of the national portal, uslugi.gov.mk, highlighting the need for continuous promotion of the platform to ensure its success and wider adoption.

Janceska shared Metamorphosis Foundation’s work on opening data sets and providing mentorship for state institutions and local municipalities.

Konstantin Bitrakov shared his perspective on the need for open data and digitalization, viewed through an academic lens and within the context of the national legal framework.

The final conclusions emphasized the need for the full digitalization of services and the opening of more data sets for citizens in North Macedonia.

It was also noted that a robust system is essential to support these efforts, ensuring the regular maintenance of both the digitalized services and the opened data sets.

The report can be found here.