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Fellows Start Three Months of International Research

On May 1, after an initial seminar in Berlin, ten journalists taking part in the 2008 programme of the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence started their research.

Selected to pursue their own story ideas within the broad theme of ‘energy’, each of the reporters from Southeast Europe devised local, regional and European research agendas before embarking on a summer of chasing stories, sources and statistics.

Under the supervision of their individual mentors – the editors who make up the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN – they came up with a range of interesting approaches to their chosen investigations.

Fellows will have to overcome many difficulties in their pursuit for stories, and to test their organisational capabilities and adventurous spirit. This year they will travel not only to their neighboring countries and EU, but their stories will also take them to further and less known destinations such as Russia, Georgia and Abkhazia.

To learn more about their experiences and impressions read the fellows’ blogs,  and in addition you can check the fellowship gallery  for 2008.

Fellows’ reports will be published in a book and on BIRN’s Balkan Insight after the Fellowship’s Selection Committee announces the winning result in late November at a closing ceremony in Vienna.

The Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence is an initiative of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the ERSTE Foundation, in cooperation with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.

Fellowship Programme Kicks Off in Berlin

This year’s edition of the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence was inaugurated on Thursday in Berlin.

Ten fellows from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia, are taking part in events hosted by the Robert Bosch Stiftung in the German capital.

The fellows have already attended training sessions designed to help them understand international standards in journalism and sharpen their professional approach to research and writing.

The ten journalists had an opportunity to discuss this year’s theme of the programme – energy – and held individual sessions with BIRN editors, exploring the details of their planned research.

Over the following days, they will attend a set of presentations by experts on energy, government officials and civil society activists.

Then, over the coming months, they will make their individual research trips to countries in the region and the EU, followed by a seminar and award ceremony in November.

The Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence is an initiative of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and Erste Foundation in cooperation with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN.

BIRN Protests Assault on its Albania Journalist

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network has sent a letter to the Albanian Prime Minister expressing concern over a assault on Besar Likmeta, Balkan Insight’s editor in Albania. Numerous international media organisations, embassies and international organisations that monitor freedom of press violations were also notified of the incident.

H.E. Sali Berisha
Prime Minister of Albania
Blvd Zog I, Tirana, Albania

Mr. Grid Rroji
Director of the Communications Office for the Prime Minister

Your Excellency,

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, a group of editors and media trainers in nine countries in the Balkans and publisher of Balkan Insight (www.balkaninsight.com) is alarmed and deeply concerned over the assault on our Albania editor, Besar Likmeta.

Likmeta was brutally attacked by MP Tom Doshi during an interview at the Sheraton hotel in Tirana in the evening of March 10 in front of another MP, Arben Isaraj, from the Socialist Party.

During research for an investigation about fake diplomas in Albania – published on February 20 (http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/investigations/8041/)- Balkan Insight obtained documents showing that one deputy, Tom Doshi, had a certified degree from Tetovo University despite the fact that he never finished his studies in law.

The Balkan Insight investigation did not contain the name of Mr. Doshi. However, as his Tetovo degree mysteriously disappeared from his CV on the web site of the Albanian parliament, Mr. Likmeta requested an interview with Mr. Doshi`s to give him the opportunity to clarify the matter.

Likmeta called the MP, Tom Doshi, on Monday, March 10th, around 9.30 and explained that in the documents Balkan Insight has obtained from the Ministry of Education, he is identified as having certified a law diploma from Tetovo University. The university has informed the Albanian Ministry of Education that Doshi’s law degree is a fake.

Doshi agreed to meet for an interview at 10.30 pm at the Sheraton Hotel in Tirana where he came with Arben Isaraj.

Through out the interview Doshi demanded to know why Likmeta was covering this story and denied he had presented any fake documents. He repeatedly told Likmeta that it was extremely brave of him to pursue this story. Isaraj than asked Likmeta if he really lived in this country and was he out of touch with reality.

“Then abruptly Doshi started hitting me with some sort of leather file holder that he had with him. He broke my glasses and gave me a black eye before leaving,” Likmeta said.

At the time of the attack in the Sheraton hotel bar, there were several witnesses: two foreigners working on laptops, MP Isaraj and the barman. No one offered help.

After Likmeta tried to get witnesses to give statement on the attack, the barman ordered him to leave, or he would be kicked out.

BIRN is deeply concerned about this attack. We urge you to do everything in your power to investigate this case and to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. It is important to note that the journalist who was so badly mistreated was simple trying to give a member of parliament a chance to tell his side of the story. Media workers must be able to work freely.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Gordana Igric
BIRN Regional Director

Competition for the Balkan Fellowship closed

Entry to the competition for the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence closed on February 29, 2008. We have received total of 64 eligible applications.

Entry to the competition for the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence closed on February 29, 2008. We have received total of 64 eligible applications.

Following the close of the appeal for applications, the selection committee intends to choose up to ten journalists to participate in this year’s programme.

The selection committee consists of six permanent members from the media community in the Balkans, Austria and Germany, as well as one annual member, who is an expert on this year’s Fellowship theme – energy.

The results of the selection will be announced on March 20 on fellowship.birn.eu.com.

BIRN Book Launch in Romania

BIRN Romania on December 13 launched the book “Moving on: Overcoming Barriers to a European Future” at the Center for Independent Journalism in Bucharest.

Representatives of local media, various NGOs, as well as friends of the organization attended the presentation.

BIRN Romania Director Marian Chiriac spoke about the Fellowship and announced next year’s programme, encouraging local young journalists to apply for it.

Romanian fellow, Bogdan Asaftei, gave an overview of his article and findings. In his investigation, Bogdan addressed the issue of social effects following relocation of some Western companies to Eastern Europe.

The event also provided an opportunity to announce BIRN’s commercialisation plans.

The Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence, an initiative of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and Erste Foundation, in cooperation with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, selects ten fellows annually to do research within a theme related to European integration. In 2007, this was ‘mobility’, and the fellows from throughout the region covered obstacles and opportunities to the movement of goods, people and ideas in a range of sectors, including labour markets, business, justice, transport, sport, education and culture. The results were published on November 16, online and in hard copy, in English, German and all main languages of the Balkans.

Moving On: Reception at Ozone gallery

The first in a series of presentations of the publication – Moving On: Overcoming Barriers to a European Future – was held in Belgrade on Wednesday in the presence of representatives of the media, NGOs, international and governmental organizations.

The occasion was to celebrate the completion of the Balkan fellowship for journalistic excellencein 2007, an initiative of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and ERSTE Foundation.

The reception and cocktail were organized in honour of the two fellows from Serbia, Nenad Radicevic and Milorad Ivanovic. The BIRN team from Serbia gave a presentation about the publication, and announced that the next fellowship project is to start in January 2008. Fellows from the 2007 intake discussed their experiences during the project.

“This is a great opportunity to travel and work through the region and Europe”, Radicevic said, and Ivanovic encouraged colleagues to take part in future activities within the fellowship programme.

Fellowship Book to be Launched Throughout the Balkans

A series of articles recently produced by ten journalists participating in this year’s Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence, highlighting the need for better movement of people, goods and ideas in the Balkans, is to be launched over the next two weeks in capital cities throughout the region.

Starting with a reception on November 28 in Belgrade, the fellows and their mentors will present the book Moving On: Overcoming Barriers to a European Future at nine events hosted by the Balkan Investigative reporting Network, BIRN. Members of the media and organisations working on themes related to European integration are invited to attend the events, which will also take place in Buchurest, Podgorica, Pristina, Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofia, Tirana and Zagreb.

The book reflects in-depth research conducted by fellows on the existence and impact of a range of obstacles to political, economic and social development. Articles feature topics as diverse as criminal justice, environmental threats and sport and culture policy, as well as visa regimes, labour flows and the politics of transport.
 
The Fellowship programme, an initiative of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and ERSTE Foundation, provides financial and professional support for quality reporting, regional networking among journalists and balanced coverage on an annual theme, selected for its significance in the Balkan region and the EU. Fellows are given practical, professional support by the programme’s local partner, BIRN, a regional network of media development organisations and publisher of Balkan Insight.
 
Moving On is published by BIRN, online in English, German, Albanian, Bulgarian, Bosnian/Croatian, Macedonian, Romanian and Serbian at http://fellowship.birn.eu.com/movingon .
 
For information on the programme, upcoming events, or how to republish and cite reports, contact Anna McTaggart, Fellowship Programme Manager & Editor, on [email protected] or tel. +381 11 303 7809.

Fellowship Award goes to Bulgarian Journalist

Nikoleta Popkostadinova, 24, has won the first Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence award for her article on Roma employment.

Jobs Boom in Bulgaria leaves Roma Behind takes a fresh angle on the issue of Roma exclusion, highlighting economic as opposed to human rights arguments for mobilising the beleaguered community out of its poverty trap.

Members of the Fellowship’s Selection Committee – whose members are Alexandra Foderl-Schmid, editor-in-chief of Austrian daily Der Standard, Drago Hedl, editor of Croatian weekly Feral Tribune, Gordana Igrić, director of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, Gerald Knaus, president of the European Stability Initiative, Remzi Lani, director of the Albanian Media Institute, Christiane Schlotzer, deputy foreign editor of the Suddeutsche Zeitung, and Wolfgang Wahner-Schmidt, Editor Europe for Reuters – recognised the originality of this approach to covering Roma deprivation, as well as the quality of research and writing.

Popkostadinova, who works for the Kapital weekly, covering social affairs, receives an award of 8000 euros, to spend on professional development.

The award was presented at a seminar in Berlin, hosted by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and attended by all ten fellows. Runners up were Milorad Ivanović, for Rich States Poach Former Yugoslavia’s Sporting Talents, and Davor Konjikušić, for Sound of Music Heals Wounds in former Yugoslavia.

The seminar also marked the launch of a book featuring all fellows’ articles. Moving On: Overcoming Balkan Barriers to a European Future shall be distributed in the coming weeks at events to be held throughout Southeast Europe, and is also available online at http://fellowship.birn.eu.com/movingon.

The Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence is an initiative of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the ERSTE Foundation, in cooperation with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.

To find out more about the programme, visit fellowship.birn.eu.com, or contact programme manager & editor Anna McTaggart on [email protected].

Ten New Reports Highlight Need to Ease Balkan Mobility

A series of reports by group of journalists from Southeast Europe was launched today, highlighting the need for better movement of people, goods and ideas to expedite development of the Balkan region and its European integration.

Moving On: Overcoming Balkan Barriers to a European Future provides new insight into the existence and impact of a range of obstacles on political, economic and social issues, through topics as diverse as criminal justice, environmental threats and sport and culture policy, as well as visa regimes, labour flows and the politics of transport.

The ten articles, representing the culmination of months of research within the Balkan region and European Union, were written by journalists selected from throughout Southeast Europe to participate in the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence.

The programme was initiated this year by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and ERSTE Foundation to provide financial and professional support for quality reporting, regional networking among journalists and balanced coverage on complex reform issues that are central to the Balkan region, as well as to the EU.

The fellows were given practical, professional support by the programme’s local partner, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, a regional network of media development organisations and publisher of Balkan Insight. Moving On is published by BIRN, online and in a special book edition. Versions of the reports are available in English, German, Albanian, Bulgarian, Bosnian/Croatian, Macedonian, Romanian and Serbian.

Link to reports: http://fellowship.birn.eu.com/movingon

For additional information, including on how to republish and cite reports, go to http://fellowship.birn.eu.com/movingon/publishing.html, or contact Anna McTaggart, Programme Manager & Editor, [email protected]

Balkan Journalism Fellows Present their Articles in Berlin

Ten journalists participating in the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence travelled to Berlin on November 13 to present the results of individual research and writing projects carried out as part of the 2007 programme.

The fellows, who are from throughout the Balkan region, shall attend a five-day seminar, marking the publication of reports they produced with the programme’s financial and professional support. The series of reports, which feature topics related to the mobility of people, goods and ideas in the Balkans, is entitled “Moving On: Overcoming Balkan Barriers to a European Future.” It is to be distributed both in the Balkans and throughout Europe in a special book edition, via the Balkan Insight email newsletter, as well as appearing online – in eight languages – at fellowship.birn.eu.com/movingon/ .

On the basis of these reports, the Fellowship’s Selection Committee, comprising journalists and experts from throughout Europe, shall award one fellow with financial support to develop his or her professional skills. The award shall be announced on Friday, November 16.

The seminar’s programme also features discussions with Berlin-based experts on a variety of issues current in the Balkans and Europe as a whole, including the geopolitics of energy supply, demographic changes and religious coexistence, as well as a visit to the German foreign ministry.

The event is organised and hosted by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, which ,with the ERSTE Foundation, initiated the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence. The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, the programme’s partner in the region, provided professional support to the fellows during their research, and produced the Moving On publication.

For more information on the programme, and to read the fellows’ articles, visit fellowship.birn.eu.com. For copies of the publication, contact Fellowship Programme Manager & Editor, Anna McTaggart, on [email protected].