Category: News and Events

About the project: 

The project “Reconcile”, supported by the European Union, is being implemented by BIRN Hub and BIRN Kosovo and is taking place in Kosovo as well as in several other Western Balkan countries. This project represents an additional effort to increase discussion on transitional justice and dealing with the past in Kosovo and across the Western Balkans more broadly. The project aims to strengthen reconciliation and non-recurrence by empowering diverse communities in the Western Balkans, with a focus on training media professionals, public institutions, and students, by providing them with specialized knowledge on topics such as war crimes, judicial processes, reporting ethics, the role of the media in documenting the truth, as well as the impact of hate speech and disinformation in distorting the truth.

About the training

The training aims to provide participants with theoretical knowledge and practical skills on:

• • War crimes and international legal standards 
  • Transitional justice mechanisms and accountability 
  • Ethical principles and challenges in reporting on sensitive issues 
  • The role of the media and civil society in shaping public opinion

• Professional standards and fact-based reporting

Who can apply?

The call is open for:

• Journalists and media professionals
• Representatives of civil society organizations
• Researchers and professionals working in the field of human rights or transitional justice

BIRN Kosovo encourages interested individuals from non-majority ethnic communities, without distinction, to apply and participate in the student training session, in line with the principles of equality and inclusiveness.

Applicants must demonstrate:

• • Interest or experience in the topics of war crimes, transitional justice, or media reporting

• Motivation to apply the acquired knowledge in their professional or academic work
  

When and where will the respective training sessions be held?

The training session for representatives of civil society, journalists, and researchers will be held on 12 January 2026 at the Reporting House Museum, Prishtina.

Applicants may apply only for the region they come from, through the Google application form.

Selection of participants:

Selection will be based on:

• The relevance of the applicant’s professional or academic profile to the respective training
• Motivation to participate
• Experience or interest in the thematic areas

During the selection process, gender equality and inclusiveness will be taken into account, in line with EU principles.

How to apply?

Interested individuals are invited to complete the online application form at this link, depending on the group they belong to.

• Application form for the student session – University of Prishtina and other non-public universities in Prishtina
• Application form for the student session – University of Prizren

Language of the training: The training sessions in the field of transitional justice will be conducted in Albanian; interpretation will be provided for participants. 

Application deadline: 08.01.2026

Only selected participants will be contacted.

The training held on December 22, 2025, focused on improving journalists’ understanding of ethical decision-making, legal safeguards, and verification practices in an increasingly complex media environment.

The first session addressed gender-sensitive journalism and safety in reporting. Participants discussed the representation of women in the media, approaches to reporting on gender-related issues, and legal and professional safety when reporting from crisis or hostile environments. The session was delivered by were shared by Kreshnik Gashi, Editor-in-Chief of KALLXO.com, giving practical examples from the field.

The second session focused on media regulation and professional ethics. Participants were introduced to the legal and regulatory framework governing media in Kosovo, media ownership and financial transparency, and access to public documents. The session was delivered by Labinot Leposhtica, Monitoring Coordinator and Head of the Legal Office at BIRN Kosovo. 

The discussion further delved into professional journalism ethics, examining real-life dilemmas and the decision-making processes journalists encounter in their daily work.

The final part of the training focused on fact-based reporting and verification standards. Participants were introduced to international fact-checking methodologies and tools used to verify photos and videos, followed by practical exercises. The sessions were led by Visar Prebreza, Editor at Krypometër.

Through a combination of expert-led sessions and hands-on exercises, the training reinforced the importance of ethical, accurate, and responsible journalism, highlighting BIRN’s ongoing commitment to strengthening media professionalism and public trust in journalism in Kosovo.

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

The training was provided to officials of the Municipality of Peja/Pec, including assembly members and other officials, to address various forms of extremism and terrorism, with a focus on the strategic goals set out in the Strategy.

Present were Labinot Leposhtica, the Legal Office and Monitoring Coordinator at BIRN Kosovo and a member of the Working Group for the National Strategy for Preventing and Countering Terrorism, and Milot Sfishta, an official from the Department for Reintegration of Repatriated Persons and Integration of Foreigners at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Labinot Leposhtica emphasized the crucial role of local communities in combating extremism and terrorism and stressed the immediate need for the Strategy to be implemented at the regional level. Milot Sfishta provided an overview of the current situation regarding returnees and the work undertaken by the institutions. Speakers emphasized that local authorities play a vital role in achieving the Strategy’s goals and that their involvement is crucial to preventing violent extremism. 

During the training, the participants were very active in discussing various cases, such as political terrorism, many attacks that occurred in the past years in Kosovo towards critical infrastructure, such as the Iber-Lepenc case, the Badovci Lake, and other cases, such as  Banjska and the fragility of the overall security situation, which requires attention of all, regardless of political parties.  

The participants were very familiar with violent extremism cases and people involved in the past, when they joined foreign fights. Underlying ideologies and economic factors were two of the main reasons why they joined the war in Syria. Moreover, participants reached a shared agreement on the urgent need for further action, particularly focused on youth. There was a growing concern that young people may be influenced by incidents that have occurred in the region in recent years, highlighting the importance of using their roles and elected representatives within the Peja/Pec community to more actively address and prevent such developments.

27 participants attended the event, out of whom 12 were women.

The training was part of the Resilient and Inclusive Community Programme, funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), through the Advocacy Training and Resource Center (ATRC), and implemented by BIRN Kosovo.

About the project: 

The project “Reconcile”, supported by the European Union, is being implemented by BIRN Hub and BIRN Kosovo and is taking place in Kosovo as well as in several other Western Balkan countries. This project represents an additional effort to increase discussion on transitional justice and dealing with the past in Kosovo and across the Western Balkans more broadly. The project aims to strengthen reconciliation and non-recurrence by empowering diverse communities in the Western Balkans, with a focus on training media professionals, public institutions, and students, by providing them with specialized knowledge on topics such as war crimes, judicial processes, reporting ethics, the role of the media in documenting the truth, as well as the impact of hate speech and disinformation in distorting the truth.

About the training

The training aims to provide participants with theoretical knowledge and practical skills on:

• • War crimes and international legal standards 
  • Transitional justice mechanisms and accountability 
  • Ethical principles and challenges in reporting on sensitive issues 
  • The role of the media and civil society in shaping public opinion

• Professional standards and fact-based reporting

Who can apply?

The call is open for:

• Bachelor’s level students in Law, Political Science, and related fields in the social sciences 

• Master’s level students in Law, Political Science, and related fields in the social sciences

BIRN Kosovo encourages interested individuals from non-majority ethnic communities, without distinction, to apply and participate in the student training session, in line with the principles of equality and inclusiveness.

Applicants must demonstrate:

• • Interest or experience in the topics of war crimes, transitional justice, or media reporting

• Motivation to apply the acquired knowledge in their professional or academic work
  

When and where will the respective training sessions be held?

For the target group: Students, two one-day trainings will be held, focusing on students from the University of Prishtina and the University of Prizren, while the call remains open to other private universities in these two municipalities as well.

• 8 January 2026 – Students from Prishtina (University of Prishtina and others)
• 9 January 2026 – Students, University of Prizren and other public universities

The training sessions will be held at: Reporting House Museum, Prishtina.

Applicants may apply only for the region they come from, through the Google application form.

Selection of participants:

Selection will be based on:

• The relevance of the applicant’s professional and academic profile to the respective training
• Motivation to participate
• Experience or interest in the thematic areas
• Willingness to learn and share experiences in this field

During the selection process, gender equality and inclusiveness will be taken into account, in line with EU principles.

How to apply?

Interested individuals are invited to complete the online application form at this link, depending on the group they belong to.

• Application form for the student session – University of Prishtina and other non-public universities in Prishtina
• Application form for the student session – University of Prizren

Language of the training: The training sessions in the field of transitional justice will be conducted in Albanian; interpretation will be provided for participants. 

Application deadline: 05.01.2026

Only selected participants will be contacted.
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On December 15 in Prishtina, AJK, BIRN Kosovo and Internews Kosova awarded three Kosovo journalists for their exceptional contributions to fact-checking journalism, as part of the “Media Integrity and Disinformation Watch project,” with the support of the British Embassy in Kosovo. 

British Ambassador Jonathan Hargreaves, BIRN’s executive director Jeta Xharra and University Professor Dren Gërguri delivered the awards. 

First prize was awarded to Fitim Gashi of Sbunker for an investigation into coordinated disinformation campaigns conducted through Serbian and Russian-language Telegram channels, targeting the Serbian community in Kosovo. The investigation documented the cyclical spread of hate speech and disinformation, including intimidation, threats, and stigmatization of anyone cooperating with Kosovo’s institutions. It highlighted the instrumentalization of historical narratives to foster fear and deepen societal divisions.

Second prize was awarded to Sandra Cvetković of Radio Free Europe for two interconnected investigations into the role of Russian state media in shaping political narratives in Kosovo. The research revealed preferential treatment of the Belgrade-backed Serbian List, marginalization of other Serbian political actors and unsubstantiated portrayals of Kosovo institutions and Western partners as persecutors of Serbs. The analysis situates these narratives within the broader context of Russian hybrid influence in the Western Balkans.

The third prize was awarded to Xhezair Dashi and Arbër Ramadani of Nacionale for their investigation into the use of fake Facebook profiles, presenting themselves as women, to disseminate political propaganda during the February 9, 2025, election campaign. Through a combination of written reporting and video content, the journalists identified the operational patterns, interaction strategies and reach of these deceptive accounts. 

The Fact-Checking Journalism Award marks a significant step in strengthening professional journalism in Kosovo, honouring journalists who uphold accuracy, accountability and the public interest in an increasingly complex information environment.

The documentary showcases how foreign information manipulation, interference and hate speech target Kosovo’s electoral processes. It illustrates the ways in which such campaigns undermine public trust in institutions, intensify polarization, and create additional obstacles for women participating in political life. 

The film aims to increase awareness among citizens and within institutions about the scale and consequences of disinformation and to contribute to strengthening society’s resilience to manipulation. It also serves as a source of evidence that can support public dialogue and shape practical solutions.

The screening was followed by a discussion with the British Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, the Director of NDI Kosovo, Ambassador Nancy Soderberg and Jeta Xharra, Executive Director of BIRN Kosovo.

Referring to the documentary’s findings, Ambassador Hargreaves stated that the situation represents a serious warning, emphasizing the importance of exposing this issue. He noted that this challenge is neither unique to Kosovo nor unfamiliar to the United Kingdom.

Ambassador Soderberg said what stood out most to her was the extent to which Russian authorities operate openly in their disinformation campaigns, while stating the importance of media literacy in mitigating the challenges of today’s information space.

This event was organised in partnership with the National Democratic Institute in Kosovo, under the framework of the Information Integrity Conference DISICON. 

The documentary was produced and published under the “Media Integrity and Disinformation Watch” project, with the support of the British Embassy in Kosovo.