BIRN Albania Opens Call for Investigations on Public Finances

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The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania launched a call for investigative stories on November 30, offering grants for three journalists to produce articles on topics related to public finances.

The call is part of the project “Exposing Corruption Through Investigative Journalism,” which is financially supported by the National Endowment for Democracy, NED.

The call is based on topics suggested by two dozen civil society activists and journalists during a joint roundtable held on November 25 in which they concluded that topics related to public finances should be investigated.

Those suggested in the roundtable included:

  • Arrears from public contracting for works and services
  • Lack of competition and corruption in public procurement
  • The use of secret contracts in the security sector to hide corruption,
  • Corruption and mismanagement of public companies
  • Nepotism and undue influence in selection of members of regulatory bodies and boards,
  • Use of public resources for political propaganda
  • Mismanagement in Albania’s oil sector, and state capture.
  • The problems with the delivery of services by local government entities
  • The lack of transparency of political party finances

The journalists will have around three months to dig deeper and research their ideas, and will also have the opportunity to work with experienced editors as mentors to guide them through the process of writing in accordance with BIRN standards.

The call only applies to journalists from Albania and closes on December 25.

Click here for more information (in Albanian) about the application procedure.

Click here to download the application form (in Albanian).