Category: People

Rexhep Maloku

Rexhep Maloku joined BIRN in July 2024 as a journalist and translator.

With a journalism career starting in 2007 at KOHA Group (Koha Ditore, KTV, koha.net), he worked as a feature journalist, international news translator and editor, and host of the Cosmo show until May 2023. Between 2009–2013, he taught English in Ferizaj schools, and from 2015–2017, he translated news for dialogplus.ch.

He served as Program Manager at INPO in Ferizaj (June–October 2023) and has been a journalist at Tema and a contributor to Kosovo 2.0 since November 2023.

Rexhep holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Prishtina in AAB College, where he is completing a master’s in Public Administration and Diplomacy.

Passionate about international relations and storytelling, he combines journalism and translation to explore global narratives. Known for quoting García Márquez on journalism and literature, he’s equally unwavering in his Arsenal fandom, despite the team’s long title drought.

Iliria Kajdomqaj

Iliria Kajdomqaj joined the BIRN team in October 2023 as a Project Coordinator.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Prishtina and is completing her master’s studies in European Integration and Public Administration at the same institution.

Her experience is closely tied to initiatives and projects in governmental and non-governmental capacities with an emphasis on transitional justice and dealing with the past.

With a unique name, a positive attitude, and full dedication, Iliria has a passion for reading and poetry. A former basketball player and a loyal Arsenal fan for two decades, she is, in other words, both faithful and patient.

Florinda Kelmendi

Florinda completed her studies in “Media and Communication” at the University for Business and Technology, where she dreamed about becoming a journalist.

In July 2023, she began as an intern at BIRN and soon after became a                junior journalist.

Her focus lies in local governance in the municipalities of the North and South, monitoring court sessions, and reporting on other sectors related to the Mitrovica region.

Florinda has participated in journalism training programs, including KALLXO Rinia and the School for Investigative Journalism – Çohu.

She is known for her positive personality and persistence in obtaining answers.

Arbrita Uka

Arbrita Uka began her career as a journalist at BIRN in March 2023.

She is studying Physics and is passionate about Astronomy. Her curiosity and drive for research led her to pursue journalism. Previously, she was engaged in volunteer work and led youth groups in Kosovo.

In March 2022, she represented Kosovo at the Youth Congress for Environmental Education in Prague. Known for her honesty and attention to detail, she firmly believes that humanity has landed on the Moon and that the Earth is not flat. She enjoys stargazing, either with the naked eye or through a telescope, and is a devoted fan of the football team Liverpool.

Agron Halitaj

Agron Halitaj has worked in journalism for over 20 years. He joined the BIRN team on February 1, 2024.

Throughout his career, he has worked as a political journalist and has held senior editorial positions in several media outlets in Kosovo. He is an opinion writer and an award-winning journalist. He defines the role of journalists in society with Frans Timmermans’ saying: “If journalists fall silent, our freedom is lost.”

Selma Melez

Selma joined Detektor (BIRN BiH) team in November 2024 as a journalist and court monitor.

She has a Master’s degree in Communication Studies from the Faculty of Political Science in Sarajevo, during which she also spent some time on a student exchange program in Germany.

Selma began her journalism career in 2020 on Hayat TV as a journalist and reporter. She is one of the authors of the documentary film Golden Lilies.

During her studies, she worked on various projects and campaigns advocating for people with disabilities at the humanitarian and development NGO “People In Need” in the Czech Republic.

She has won journalism awards for topics such as “The Role of Media and Media Reporting in Peacebuilding” and for the best socially responsible story in the “Media Incubator” project in collaboration with the Goethe Institute, focusing on the economic empowerment of people with disabilities, caled “I can’t try if you don’t give me a chance”.

She is one of the authors of the story “Hands That Read”. In 2023, she won an award for the best journalistic story on Bosnia’s EU accession process, awarded by the Directorate for European Integration.

Her journalistic work is dedicated to reporting on human rights, especially people with disabilities and children, as well as war crimes in Bosnia and cybersecurity-related topics.

Mirza Halilcevic

Mirza Halilcevic joined the BIRN BiH team in June 2024 as Project Manager.

In the last 10 years, he has worked in the field of human rights, writing and coordinating projects and reporting for several media outlets on the position of minorities in Bosnia, with a focus on LGBTIQA rights.

He has also gained experience in advocacy, fundraising, coordinating PR campaigns and event production.

He is a collaborator with several local and international organisations in Bosnia.

He completed his Bachelor and Master’s studies at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo at the Department of Sociology.

At BIRN BiH, he manages projects in the field of rule of law, digital rights and transitional justice, as well as projects related to the strategic development of the BIRN BiH office.

Gordana Andric

Gordana Andric is a Belgrade-based journalist and editor.

She first joined BIRN as a journalist in 2010 and later worked as a managing editor of BIRN’s English language website Balkan Insight.

After spending four years with BBC World Service, she now works with BIRN Serbia.

Andric has managed teams of journalists, investigative reporters and editors from more than ten countries across the Balkans and Black Sea region.

Indira Cular

Indira joined BIRN Hub in October 2023 as a Finance Officer. She is based in BIRN Hub’s Sarajevo office.

Her main responsibilities include providing support for financial and administrative tasks and duties for finance, operations and programme department.

She graduated at the University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Economics. Indira has over 15 years of experience in NGOs and media.

Ivana Pavlovic

Ivana joined BIRN in January 2024. Based in BIRN’s office in Belgrade, she is responsible for management, coordination and oversight of BIRN’s business operations, focusing on for-profit projects and activities implemented through BIRN Ltd, whose revenue feeds the charitable needs of BIRN Hub.

Previously, she worked at Business Info Group, publisher of the business news outlet Nova ekonomija, as deputy general manager. In recent years, she has been training students in economic journalism and companies in media relations.

She is coauthor of a guide in the Serbian language dedicated to business journalists.

Ivana spent two years at the Serbian NGO Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability, CRTA, where she held the position of journalist/editor on the factchecking portal Istinomer.

She was also web editor on Euractiv.rs co, branded partner of Brussels-based media network Euractiv.com.

She was also a journalist at the Belgrade-based business weekly magazine Ekonom:east, and journalist associate at VIP news, a newsletter in English targeted at diplomats, journalists, humanitarian workers and businesses.

She also has experience in e-learning and event management.

Ivana graduated from the Belgrade Faculty of Political Sciences’ department of journalism and communicology. She was awarded an MA in Economic analysis and Politics at the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade. She speaks English and some French.