Category: People

Per Byman

Per is a Swedish aid worker. Since 2023 he has been working for Caritas Germany as Senior Humanitarian Advisor for Ukraine and Moldova. Previously, he was the Managing Director at NRC Flüchtlingshilfe Deutschland, which he joined in 2018.

Between 2005 and 2012 he worked for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, SIDA, where he served as head of the humanitarian unit responsible for disaster relief. From 1999-2005 Per worked as a program officer for human rights and democracy at Sida’s unit for South Eastern Europe.

Between 1991 and 1997 he worked with humanitarian projects and reconstruction in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the international Caritas network. He holds an MA in German political linguistics (Politolinguistik).

 

Vesna Bjekic (1952-2014)

Over the course of her journalism career, Vesna has worked with Politika, 4 Jul, YU Panorama, Revijalna Stampa, many local Serbian newspapers, and Croatian weekly Danas.

In 1992, as Yugoslavia fell apart, she began working freelance, and from 1993 until 2000 was a key member of the Alternative Information Network, AIM.

After a time as a contributor to IWPR’s Balkan Crisis Report, she took up the position of IWPR Serbia Office Manager.

Today, she manages the BIRN Hub / BIRN Ltd. office in Belgrade, and coordinates translation and editing for all BIRN’s Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian language report.

 

Denis Dzidic

Denis Dzidic is the Executive Director and Editor for BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina. He joined BIRN in August 2008, and after working as a journalist, deputy editor and chief editor for BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina’s flagship website Detektor.ba he has been named Executive Director as of October 1, 2019.

Before BIRN, Denis worked as a journalist for Oslobodjenje daily newspaper and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting both in Sarajevo and in Hague where he reported on transitional justice issues and war crimes.

Denis has worked as a journalist since 2006. He graduated from the Journalism Department of the Faculty of Political Science in Sarajevo, and he holds a master in International law.

Kalina Simic

Kalina Simic joined BIRN Serbia in August 2012 as a project manager.

In addition to her work on monitoring projects, Kalina also manages projects that focus on promoting communication between the local administration in south Serbia and citizens there.

Kalina has extensive experience in advertising, as well as governmental and NGO work. In the area of advertising and marketing, she worked for the Hammer Creative Agency of Novi Sad, Leo Burnett as well as Cyber Entertainment in Belgrade.

In her work for local governments, she managed various activities and projects for the Executive Council of Vojvodina and the Serbian Ministry for Human and Minority Rights. In addition, she worked for the Public Administration and Local Government Center (PALGO Center), Center for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID) and Novi Sad School of Journalism.

Kalina studied Psychology at Novi Sad University. In addition to her formal education, Kalina has attended more than 15 different trainings and courses.

Marija Petrovic

Marija is a sales professional with a background in the media industry in Serbia and East Asia.

A member of the Belgrade Insight team at the time of the newspaper’s launch in 2008, Marija rejoined the team a year ago to head up the sales and marketing division.

Marija is well-acquainted with the international community in Belgrade through her previous experience as a field representative with the Club de Madrid.

Aleksandar Djordjevic

Aleksandar Djordjevic has worked as a journalist since 2009, mainly covering politics and public finance.

Aleksandar was a local correspondent for the regional website Sumadijapress before joining BIRN in February 2012.

Ever since he has mainly worked in the field of data journalism and investigative journalism, specialising in public finance reporting.

In 2016 he won the first prize within EU Investigative Journalism Awards for Serbia scheme and an award for the best investigative story in print media by the Independent Association of Serbian Journalists and US embassy in Belgrade.

Aleksandar was awarded the best media report on monitoring of public spending in Serbia organized by the United Nations Development Programme. He was also a finalist at the 2012 National Investigative Journalism Award by the Independent Association of Journalists in Serbia.

 

Dragana Zarkovic Obradovic

Under Dragana’s leadership, BIRN Serbia has been recognised for its professionalism and its ability to influence the public agenda in the fields of media development and good governance.

With extensive media experience and a strong background in project management, Dragana joined BIRN in February 2006 as a project manager and was promoted to country manager in 2007.

Dragana previously worked on several projects for prominent international organisations, such as the Stability Pact for SEE, Transparency International and the European Agency for Reconstruction, as well as for electronic media.

Dragana studied Comparative Literature at Belgrade University, and further honed her professional skills through numerous trainings and conferences.

Marian Chiriac

Marian Chiriac has worked as a journalist since 1990, mainly covering politics and human rights issues.

He has reported extensively on most major events in Romania and the Balkans. He became a regular contributor to the Institute for War and Peace Reporting in 1999, and in 2005 established BIRN Romania.

Sinisa-Jakov Marusic

Sinisa-Jakov Marusic is a Skopje-based journalist and regular contributor to BIRN’s regional publication, Balkan Insight, and the programme Balkan Transitional Justice.

Since 2007, Sinisa has covered Macedonia’s political, social and economic developments, especially those linked to Macedonian post conflict society and transitional justice.

His articles and analysis also appear in other local and international print and electronic media.

In 2007, Sinisa graduated from the Journalism School at the Macedonian Institute for Media, MIM, in Skopje.

He speaks Macedonian, English and German.

Jeton Ispahiu

With international experience in media production, Jeton Ispahiu joined BIRN in 2008. He is responsible for providing video editing and final touches for the Life in Kosovo and Justice in Kosovo television programmes.

Jeton previously worked for various Canadian media companies, including CTV-Winnipeg, where he served as a journalist and video editor between 2004 and 2008.

Jeton graduated with a degree in production from Assinniboine Community College in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada in 2003.