Category: News and Events

The training was divided into two sessions; one was held by Kosovo’s Counterterrorism National Coordinator, Fatos Makolli, while the second session was hosted by Kreshnik Gashi, anchor of BIRN Kosovo’s ‘Justice in Kosovo’ TV show.

Makolli outlined how radical Islamic ideology spread in Kosovo, the role of the Kosovo government and civil society in reintegrating returnees from the Middle Eastern conflict zone, and the importance of the media in responsibly reporting cases of violent extremism.

He suggested that the media must continue to work with institutions, not just to receive information and share it, but to be a partner. Makolli also briefly described the failure of international organisations in tackling the issue of radicalisation, blaming it on a preoccupation with inter-ethnic issues.

According to Makolli, the most successful project for countering violent extremism was Kosovo’s membership of UEFA and FIFA, as it offered a new perspective for the youth of Kosovo. For Makolli, preventing radicalisation means promoting values which include tolerance and diversity.

Gashi engaged in a more in-depth conversation with the participants and provided them with techniques for reporting cases of violent extremism correctly and precisely, while protecting the public and without causing unnecessary public fear and trauma.

He pointed out that reporting should not, in any situation, contain unreliable or false news which misinforms the public.

This training was organised as part of the ‘For a Resilient Community’ project, funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, GCERF.

The results of BIRN’s monitoring and analysis were published and discussed in an open debate with more than 25 participants from the municipality, the National Audit Office and representatives from civil society. The debate was also streamed live on BIRN’s anti-corruption platform KALLXO.com.

Visar Prebreza, BIRN Kosovo’s managing editor, gave a brief presentation on the project and its findings. According to Prebreza, the number of recommendations received by the municipality from the National Audit Office is high, though continuously decreasing: from 25 recommendations in 2015 to 16 recommendations in 2018. However, a number of recommendations have been repeated year after year, and there have been ongoing procurement problems.

Deputy Mayor of Mitrovica Faruk Mujka said that the debate had a very positive impact. “This report presents a true and fair view of all financial aspects,” he said. “The report shows that Mitrovica has made positive steps toward implementing recommendations but there is room for improvement. Most of the findings are due to a lack of coordination between the local and central level.”

During the debate,  Shkelqim Xhema, a representative from the National Audit Office stated that full implementation of the recommendations will lead to a better performance from the Municipality and better services provided to citizens. In 2018, five out of 17 recommendations were addressed, three were partially addressed, one was considered closed, while eight were not addressed at all.

Alongside providing an avenue to discuss the municipality’s implementation of recommendations by the Audit Office, these debates also gave BIRN an opportunity to record promises made both by the General Auditor and the Municipality of South Mitrovica, to be followed-up through Kallxo.com’s fact-checking platform, “Krypometer.”

The debate was organized within the framework of the “Support civil society to increase public oversight and accountability of Kosovo public institutions” project, which is funded by the British Embassy in Prishtina. This specific activity is organized as part of the component looking into the compliance of targeted institutions with the recommendations from the Auditor General’s reports.

It was held together with TV Mreza, a network of TV stations broadcasting in Serbian across all Serbian-majority areas of Kosovo, in an activity supported by the EU Office in Kosovo.

Those conducting the workshop included Jeta Xharra, BIRN Kosovo’s executive director, Visar Prebreza, managing editor of BIRN Kosovo and Petar Vidov, editor-in-chief of the Croatian media platform, Faktograf.

Eighteen local journalists attended, from Kossev, Kent FM, RTV Kim, RTV Puls, Medija Centar, Radio Gorazdevac, Insajderi, Indeksonline and from the civil society organisation Green Energy Kosova.

In the workshop, Xharra discussed the long journey of the Kosovo Civil Society Consortium for Sustainable Development, KOSID, in addressing pressing environmental issues, including campaigning against the financing of coal-power plants, especially the newly planned coal-power plant Kosova e Re, planned to be built in Obiliq, 10 kilometers from the capital, Prishtina.

Prebreza presented a lecture on the crimes committed to the local environment and on environmental reporting. He also outlined the investigations of BIRN’s TV show Justice in Kosovo, concerning the exploitation of gravel from rivers in Kosovo.

Vidov shared his experiences working on the investigative story “Captured by Gas,” an in-depth analysis of the quality of governance and state capture in the energy sector in Croatia.

The three stories were given awards for best environmental reporting at a ceremony on Tuesday by Cohu, the anti-corruption and good governance NGO.

The prizes were presented by Arton Demhasaj, the executive director of Cohu, who said that the media did not cover issues related to the environment enough this year, and that the awards ceremony was intended in part to raise awareness about this crucial issue.

First place was taken Koha Ditore journalist Besnik Krasniqi, for his article on air pollution caused by old cars. The article was an EU-funded project implemented by BIRN and the Association of Kosovo Journalists, AJK.

In his acceptance speech, Krasniqi highlighted the ongoing problem of air pollution in Kosovo. “Hundreds of deaths are caused because of pollution, including pollution that comes from cars,” he said.

Second place went to RTK journalist Edona Musa for her article on the illegal coal trade and the air pollution that results from the burning of coal, which is having deadly consequences. Musa’s investigation was also implemented by BIRN.

Receiving the award, Musa stressed that coal was still being extracted and sold illegally this winter. “Let’s hope that Kosovo institutions do their utmost to stop the burning of coal,” she said.

The third story awarded was by Drenushe Ramadani, a journalist from BIRN Kosovo’s site Kallxo.com.

Her article focused on the risks to rivers due caused by the construction of hydropower plants across Kosovo.

“I am happy about this first-ever prize on the topic that I love the most – the environment,” Ramadani said.

The report is based on nine months of direct monitoring between April and December 2019, and is the second annual report from the two organisations aimed at enhancing TAK’s integrity.

It was presented at the roundtable by Kreshnik Gashi, managing editor at Kallxo.com and anchor of the ‘Justice in Kosovo’ TV programme, and policy analyst Visar Rushiti.

Gashi said that as a result of both this project and reporting made to the Kallxo.com anti-corruption platform, citizens’ perception of TAK has improved. “During this year alone we have received over 100 reports on various tax evasion issues,” he said.

During the discussion, the director of TAK, Ilir Murtezaj, said that the organisation is preparing a working plan to increase the integrity of TAK. This will be carried out in cooperation with organisations outside TAK and with relevant institutions.

Jacob Webber, the deputy head of the British embassy in Pristina, highlighted that strengthening internal governance is a key step toward increasing taxpayers’ trust in the Tax Administration of Kosovo.

“From local and international reports it appears that the informal economy in Kosovo is very high, and this should be dealt with by the Tax Administration of Kosovo,” Webber said.

“The British embassy will be a long-term partner of TAK, for maintaining macroeconomic stability and combating the informal economy.” He added.

Hekuran Murati, representing Vetevendosje (Self-Determination), which is set to be the main party in the upcoming coalition government, said at the at the roundtable discussion that one of the main issues for TAK is personal income tax.

“Legislation needs to be changed, but not everything can be regulated by legislation, but through the will of each institution,” Murati said.

The project analyses reports published by the National Audit Office on Kosovo’s municipalities.

The results of BIRN’s monitoring and analysis were presented and discussed in an open debate with more than 30 participants from the municipality, the National Audit Office and civil society. The debate was also streamed live on BIRN’s anti-corruption platform KALLXO.com.

Visar Prebreza, BIRN Kosovo’s managing editor, gave a brief presentation on the project and its findings.

Prebreza said that over the last four years the main issue that has been highlighted is the non-recording of financial statements.

He said that in 2017 the municipality received a qualified opinion from the auditors, rather than a positive assessment, and that the recommendations received have not been implemented to a satisfactory level.

The mayor of Malisheva, Ragip Begaj, said that most of the recommendations given by the auditors were implemented, while some of them are in the process of being realised.

During the debate, a representative from the National Audit Office, Faruk Rrahmani, stated that only 33 per cent of recommendations from 2017 have been implemented, a percentage which is close to the average among the municipalities but still represents a low level of implementation.

“The implementation of the auditor’s recommendations generates a better performance from the municipalities and improves the lives of citizens,” Rrahmani said.

As well as providing an avenue to discuss the implementation of recommendations by the Audit Office, the debates give an opportunity for BIRN to record promises made both by the General Auditor and the municipality of Malisheva, to be followed-up through Kallxo.com’s fact-checking platform, Krypometer.

The debate was organised within the framework of the project ‘Support Civil Society to Increase Public Oversight and Accountability of Kosovo Public Institutions’, funded by the British Embassy in Pristina. This specific activity is organised as part of a component looking into the compliance of targeted institutions with the recommendations from the Auditor General’s reports.

Similar debates will be held in other municipalities in the country, with the aim of presenting BIRN Kosovo’s analysis of the success in implementing recommendations made by the Auditor. Every debate will be held during municipal assemblies of the municipalities in question, and will be live-streamed by BIRN Kosovo.

The quake in Albania has so far left at least 40 dead, more than 650 injured and thousands of others without shelter.

The platform ‘Kallxo për Shqipërinë’ (Kallxo for Albania), serves as an online hub for all individuals, groups and organisations that want to donate to people who suffered from the quake – and where people in need can find all current offers of shelter, food, clothes and transport.

Less than two hours after the platform was created, more than 150 people had registered to provide aid.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci declared Wednesday a day of mourning for the quake victims in neighbouring Albania. Kosovo police and military rescue teams were sent to the scene immediately to work in the ruins of destroyed buildings, seeking survivors.

In the port city of Durres, the area worst affected, rescuers have continued to search the ruins of apartment building for survivors.

While rescue work continues, the western Kosovo town of Pejë/Pec has already provided shelter for 60 people from the affected zones.

Arben Aliaj, from Durres, has been sheltering with a Peja family since Tuesday. “I will always appreciate the extraordinary help of Kosovars. I will not forget it in my lifetime,” he said on Wednesday.

The municipal authorities said those seeking help from Albania will be offered food, clothes, medical checks and care.