BIRN Hub People

Gentiana joined BIRN Hub in September 2022 as a Programme Manager for Capacity Building and Strengthening of Independent Media. She is based in BIRN Hub’s Sarajevo office. Her main responsibilities include planning and designing the programme, proactively monitoring its progress, resolving issues, and initiating appropriate corrective actions. She ensures effective quality assurance and overall integrity of the programme.

Founder of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) and Regional Network Director until May 2018.

Gyula is an editor working on investigative international projects with Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, based in Prague, the Czech Republic.

Hamdi Firat Buyuk is a political analyst who joined BIRN in 2016 as a correspondent and he has been covering Turkey and occasionally Bosnia and Sandzak region for Balkan Insight.

Based in Sarajevo’s BIRN Hub office, Hatidza manages media projects and oversees implementation activities, as well as the process of developing rulebooks, guidelines and modification of existing provisions. She also acts as a liaison for the Network in terms of capacity building.

Based in Sarajevo, Ivana assists with implementation of BIRN Hub’s programmes and provides day-to-day management of the monitoring and evaluation activities related to them, including working with programme staff, external consultants, implementing partners and key stakeholders.

Based in Belgrade, Ivana is an editor at Balkan Insight in charge of coordinating and working on investigative stories.

Ivana joined BIRN in 2020. Based in Serbia, she is responsible for managing and coordinating all activities within the BIRN Investigative Reporting Initiative programme, including BIRN Summer School of Investigative Reporting.

Based in Belgrade, Jovan is responsible for production of digital and social media content, developing new digital products and boosting the presence of BIRN Hub and its websites on a number of digital platforms.

Karla joined BIRN in 2021 to coordinate work of local media outlets in the region who write investigative stories using the Engagement Citizens’ Reporting tool.

Based in Chisinau, Madalin Necsutu has been Balkan Insight’s correspondent from Moldova since 2017.

Maida joined BIRN Hub in January 2008 as a Financial Officer based in Sarajevo. Maida is responsible for cash flow management, monitoring daily financial operations, reviewing financial data and preparing monthly and annual reports as well as accountancy and auditing and overall communication with other departments and the staff of BIRN.

Marcus Tanner is Editor at Balkan Insight

Marija Ristic is the executive director of Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, a network of seven non-governmental organisations promoting freedom of speech, human rights and democratic values in Southeast and Central Europe. Ristic oversees the activities and communications within the Network and represents it publicly.

Marija joined the BIRN team in September 2022 as a Project Manager for Business Development.