Category: News and Events

Vacancy announcements opened and conducted by the Assembly of Kosovo have been associated with many problems. Most of the processes were held without the assistance of BDO, the UK company. These processes were not transparent, as MPs have applied an evaluation which leaves no trace on which MP gave what score to a candidate.

Such a non-transparent and secret evaluation diminishes the relevance of interviews, as scoring is based on political affiliation rather than merits or performance in the interviews. Such an evaluation was found in the selection of boards of KOSTT, Ombudsperson, RTK. A similar evaluation was applied by CEC, in the recruitment of the Secretariat CEO.

In this report, BIRN also noted the change of three governments within the year 2020 and dismissal of boards of publicly owned enterprises by each government that came to power. Also, the report provides details of the last Government vacancies for boards of several publicly owned enterprises. These processes are still ongoing, and it is expected that interviews of candidates who met the minimum criteria will start soon.

Following BIRN’s recommendation, for the first time ever the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo required the evaluation committees to check into the political background of each candidate, requesting data from the Central Election Commission and the State Treasury. After receiving these information, 20 candidates were removed from the race for boards of publicly owned enterprises.

In the end, the report provides a legal analysis of temporary employment of experts, through Procurement Law. Given that procurement is problematic and with many violations, there is a risk that this legal opportunity to employ persons with contracts of up to 36 months will be misused to employ persons associated with politics.

This is the third report published within the project “Supporting Civil Society to Increase Public Oversight and Accountability of Kosovo Public Institutions”, funded by Foreign and Commonwealth Office, through UK Embassy in Pristina.

• Albanian
• English
• Serbian

The winning stories were selected by a jury comprised of Kreshnik Gashi, Mexhide Demolli, Dafina Halili, Leart Hoxha and Mustafa Skenderi from a total of nine entries, all of which were broadcast on TV or published online between October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020.

First prize was awarded to journalist Besnik Boletini for his investigative article entitled “Ineffective Millions”, which analysed investments in agriculture through grants and subsidies.

Over 238 million euros have been invested in agriculture using these methods, with experts arguing that the investment has produced few tangible results. Levels of imports and exports were examined as part of the investigation, which highlighted the ineffectiveness of the huge public investment into the agriculture sector.

Arta Berisha was awarded second prize for her investigation entitled “Advertising the Government’s Work Online”, which shed light on dozens of contracts, signed by ministries with news websites and other sites, which did not respect tendering procedures, the Law on Public Procurement and professional ethics.

Third place went to Merita Berisha-Prebreza for her investigation entitled “Temporary Contracts that Deny Workers Rights”. The article examined salaries paid to over 2,000 people employed every year by public institutions through so-called Special Service Agreements, often without competition and in violation of the law.

The investigation revealed that public money is often spent on providing financial support for people connected to political parties, as well as party activists.

Promoting the Auditor General/NAO’s Role in Kosovo is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and is being implemented by BIRN Kosovo.

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Ndahen çmimet gazetareske për hulumtimet më të mira në fushën e shpenzimeve publike

Juria profesionale i ka bërë publike (18 dhjetor)vlerësimet për gazetarët në kuadër të thirrjes për tri hulumtimet më të mira në fushën e shpenzimeve publike.

Çmimet janë ndarë në kuadër të projektit ‘Promovimi i rolit të Auditorit të Përgjithshëm / ZKA në Kosovë’, i mbështetur nga Ambasada e Mbretërisë së Holandës/Ministria e Punëve të Jashtme e Holandës dhe i implmentuar nga BIRN Kosova.

Për këto çmime, në garë kanë qenë 9 storie të publikuara në televizione dhe media online nga data 1 tetor 2019 deri më 30 shtator 2020.

Juria në përbërje Kreshnik Gashi, Mexhide Demolli, Leart Hoxha, Dafina Halili dhe Mustafa Skenderi kanë vlerësuar çmimin e parë  hulumtimin e gazetarit, Besnik Boletini. Çmimi i dytë është ndarë për hulumtimin e gazetares Arta Berisha, ndërsa çmimi i tretë është ndarë për gazetaren Merita Berisha-Prebreza.

Çmimi për gazetarin Besnik Boletini është ndarë për hulumtimin “Milionat e paefektshme”. Ky hulumtim shqyrton investimet e bëra në fushën e bujqësisë përmes granteve dhe subvencioneve. Mbi 238 milionë euro janë investuar në bujqësi në këtë mënyrë, me ekspertë që argumentojnë se paratë kanë treguar pak rezultate. Nivelet e importeve dhe eksporteve u analizuan si pjesë e hetimit, i cili nënvizoi jo-efektivitetin e investimeve të mëdha publike në këtë sektor. Hulumtimi mund të lexohet në këtë link.

Çmimi për gazetaren Arta Berisha është ndarë për hulumtimin “Reklamimi i punës së qeverisë në internet”. Ky hulumtim zbulon mbi dhjetëra kontrata të nënshkruara nga ministritë me portalet e lajmeve dhe faqet e internetit të tjera në kundërshtim me procedurat e tenderimit, Ligjin për Prokurimin Publik dhe etikën profesionale. Arta Berisha zbulon se sekretarët e përgjithshëm të ministrive, si dhe zyrtarë të tjerë, e kanë trajtuar buxhetin e shtetit sikur të ishin paratë e tyre, duke shpërndarë shuma të mëdha portaleve në kundërshtim me legjislacionin. Hulumtimi mund të lexohet në këtë link.

Çmimi për gazetaren Merita Berisha-Prebreza është ndarë për hulumtimin “Kontrata afatshkurta që mohojnë të drejtat e punëtorëve”. Ky hulumtim shqyrton pagat e paguara për mbi 2,000 persona të punësuar çdo vit nga institucionet publike përmes Marrëveshjeve për shërbime të veçanta, shpesh pa konkurrencë dhe në kundërshtim me ligjin. Hulumtimi zbulon se paratë publike shpesh shpenzohen për të siguruar mbështetje financiare për njerëzit e lidhur me partitë politike, si dhe militantët e partive. Hulumtimi mund të ndiqet në këtë link.

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Dodeljene nagrade za najbolje novinarske priče iz oblasti javnih troškova

Stručni žiri BIRN Kosova objavio je svoje ocene (18. decembra) za novinarke i novinare, u okviru poziva za tri najbolja istraživanja iz oblasti javnih troškova.

Nagrade su dodeljene u okviru projekta „Promovisanje uloge generalnog revizora/ NKR na Kosovu,“ čiju je realizaciju podržala ambasada Kraljevine Holandije/Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova Holandije, a koji realizuje BIRN Kosovo.

Za ove nagrade, u konkurenciji je bilo devet istraživačkih priča objavljenih na televiziji i onlajn medijima od 1. oktobra 2019. do 30. septembra 2020. godine.

Žiri u sastavu Krešnik Gaši, Medžide Demoli, Ljeart Hodža, Dafina Haljilji i Mustafa Skenderi dodelio je prvu nagradu istraživanju novinara, Besnika Boljetinija. Druga nagrada dodeljena je istraživanju novinarke Arte Beriša, dok je treća nagrada dodeljena novinarki Meriti Beriša-Prebreza.

Novinar Besnik Boljetini osvojio je prvu nagradu za istraživanje „Nedelotvorni milioni.” Ova priča istražuje investicije u poljoprivredi, putem grantova i subvencija. Više od 238 miliona evra uloženo je u poljoprivredu ovim putem, a stručnjaci tvrde da je sav taj novac dao malo rezultata. Nivoi uvoza i izvoza analizirani su kao deo istrage, koja je naglasila nedelotvornost velikih javnih investicija u ovom sektoru. Istraživanje možete pročitati na ovom linku.

Novinarki Arti Beriša dodeljena je nagrada za istraživanje „Reklamiranje rada vlade na internetu“. Ovo istraživanje razotkriva na desetine ugovora koja su ministarstva potpisala sa informativnim portalima i internet stranicama, u suprotnosti sa tenderskim postupcima, Zakonom o javnim nabavkama i profesionalnom etikom. Arta Beriša otkriva da su se generalni sekretari ministarstava, kao i drugi zvaničnici, prema državnom budžetu ponašali kao da se radi o njihovom vlastitom novcu, isplaćujući velike svote portalima u suprotnosti sa zakonom. Istraživanje možete pročitati na ovom linku.

Novinarki Meriti Beriša-Prebreza dodeljena je nagrada za istraživanje „Kratkoročni ugovori koji uskraćuju radnička prava“. Ovo istraživanje ispituje zarade isplaćene broju od preko 2,000 ljudi zaposlenih svake godine u javnim institucijama, ugovorima o posebnim uslugama, često mimo konkurencije i u suprotnosti sa zakonom. Istraživanje otkriva da se novac iz javne kase često troši da bi se obezbedila finansijska podrška ljudima povezanim sa političkim strankama, kao i stranačkim militantima. Istraživanje možete pročitati na ovom linku.

 

This report addresses the findings ascertained through direct monitoring of the Tax Administration of Kosovo (TAK) in 2020, outlining problems within this institution regarding recruitment procedures as well as irregularities identified in previous hiring processes. It also provides recommendations on how to address the identified shortcomings.

Over the last three years, TAK has conducted two recruitment processes through which 50 tax inspectors have been hired. However, many irregularities have been found in both of these processes.

The first process, conducted in 2017, was assessed as discriminatory by the Basic Court in Pristina. Meanwhile, at BIRN’s request, the National Audit Office assessed another competition held in 2019, finding violations of rules of procedure and legal requirements. The NAO highlighted KALLXO.com’s previous reporting, which revealed that almost half of the staff hired were affiliated with political parties.

The report also outlines two cases in which senior TAK officials did not declare assets to the Anti-Corruption Agency, as required by law. The undeclared assets were discovered following a BIRN investigation and formal investigations are on the way now. It is also stated, based on direct reports, that four tax officials have been sanctioned due to violations of rules of procedure.

Data from the report also reveal that in the last three years, TAK has not initiated any disciplinary proceedings as a result of reporting by citizens. The report contrasts this with the number of citizens’ reports and the amounts of fines imposed as a result of citizens’ reporting through KALLXO.com. Data show that the sum of fines imposed, following operations being undertaken in 300 different businesses throughout Kosovo as a result of citizens’ complaints, is over 200,000 euros.

The report recommends the establishment of a new reporting line at TAK, an increase in disciplinary sanctions against officials that have violated their duties or code of ethics, disciplinary measures against officials who have conducted recent recruitment processes at TAK, complete fiscalisation of businesses and drafting of a regulation, or manual, on the use of social networks by its officials.

For full report, click the links below for:

• Albanian
• English
• Serbian

Supported by the Netherlands embassy in Pristina, the training courses are intended to improve the performance of the Auditor General and NAO staff while writing, reporting and providing information on public spending.

The training session was attended by the Head of Communication and Professional Development Saranda Husajm and communications officer Shqipe Hetemi from the NAO. The course was divided into two sessions, the first held by Kreshnik Gashi, managing editor at KALLXO.com, and the second by Granit Mavriqi, media editor at KALLXO.com.

Gashi explained the fundamental elements of writing an article, news items and a social media status and how to present them on social networks. Mavriqi provided information on social media use and security.

The workshop was implemented within the Europeanisation of Kosovo’s Environmental Agenda project, which is funded by the EU Office in Kosovo. The project is focused on improving knowledge of and reporting on energy efficiency, as well as raising public awareness about the health benefits of using renewables and creating a clean environment.

Twelve local journalists attended the workshop, with representatives from News Press Production, TV Herc, TV Mir, TV Most, Epoka e Re, Euro Peja Information, as well as other independent and freelance journalists.

The workshop was conducted by Jeta Xharra, BIRN Kosovo’s country director,
Visar Prebreza and Kreshnik Gashi, BIRN Kosovo’s managing editors, Fatmir Gsrguri, an environmental expert, Aleksandar Djordjevic, an environmental journalist at BIRN Serbia, and Dragan Gmizic, a journalist and award-winning environmental film maker from Serbia.

During the workshop, Xharra discussed the problems of addressing environmental issues in Kosovo through journalism, while Prebreza outlined his and Xharra’s months-long investigation that exposed corruption in state-funded incentives for private solar power companies, which was published under the title “Unclean energy: The Kosovar Who Would Own the Sun”.

Gerguri meanwhile demonstrated the long-term effects of environmental degradation caused by the illegal exploitation of gravel, coal and other natural resources, as well as by the construction of infrastructure projects with low-quality materials.

Djordjevic outlined his investigations into illegal construction in protected areas in Serbia, while Gmizic talked through his eco-documentaries “Black Shadow of Green Energy” and “Flatland without Birds”, as well as his investigation into the illegal fishing trade.

Finally, Gashi spoke about the practical details of reporting on environmental crimes in Kosovo, using his investigations into the illegal exploitation of gravel that was broadcast as part of BIRN’s ‘Justice in Kosovo’ TV programme as an example.

The online workshop was held was the final one to be organised within the Europeanisation of Kosovo’s Environmental Agenda project.