Justice in Kosovo discusses the privatisation of NBI Suhareka winery
Justice in Kosovo broadcast a programme about the privatisation process of the NBI Suhareka wine enterprise, including high-profile suspicions about secret deals between businessmen.
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Every Thursday starting from 20:30, Radio Television Kosovo, RTK, broadcasts the TV debate show "Life in Kosovo", a joint production of BIRN and RTK.
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BIRN Kosovo Project
27 November 2006
BIRN Kosovo aims to help bring down barriers to the
territory’s stability and integration into Europe
through the provision of information, training and challenging current affairs
TV programming in local media, which encourages public dialogue.
The critical issue of Kosovo’s final status remains in the
way of its political and economic re-integration into the Balkans and the wider
European community. It impedes any serious international investment in Kosovo,
while organised crime gains an increasing hold and paralysing corruption
appears endemic. De facto lines of partition between Serb and Albanian
communities are becoming ever more stark.
Within the majority Albanian community, political rivalries
are intense and cripple progress in all areas. In addition, the international
UNMIK administration has come under heavy criticism for its failure to deliver
more in terms of improving infrastructure and basic services. Years into the UN
administration of Kosovo, electricity cuts are still a daily occurrence.
Nevertheless, the question of the territory’s status is now
thawed, opening up dialogue on past events, minority rights and the future
make-up of Kosovo. However, potential also exists for instability from those
unlikely to be pleased with the final status outcome.
And whatever the results of final status - other key
problems will remain. Kosovo has weak public institutions, no macro-economic
vision and neither the police nor courts function well. In addition, the territory
plays host to lazy and unaccountable local government and a politicised
university.
BIRN Kosovo’s approach
BIRN is the leading media development organisation in
Kosovo, specialising in investigative reporting, journalism training and TV
broadcasts.
Its reporting for BIRN’s Balkan Insight covers the key
political, social and economic issues facing the territory. Investigations and
analyses have covered developments and dynamics rarely tackled by other media,
while involvement in the BIRN Network has ensured regional, cross-border
context.
In response to pressing needs for media professionalisation,
BIRN Kosovo developed a practical training module - the Primary Level
Journalism course - now used across the BIRN network. The first course in the
series attracted 220 applications when it was first advertised in February
2004, since when 28 journalists have graduated and published their training
articles.
Reflecting the influence of television in Kosovo, BIRN has
since 2003 been tackling the dearth in good current affairs programming in the
region by partnering with local broadcasters to produce regular news analysis
and debate shows . These employ vigilant moderation, related reportage and
challenging studio questions in order to fulfil a watchdog role that Kosovo’s
society and government badly need.
In addition, BIRN Kosovo is in the latter part of 2005
leading a regional network project to produce a one-hour documentary examining
the question of Kosovo’s status in-depth, casting the spotlight on the way
politicians treat the concerns of ordinary people affected by it .
Current Affairs TV Debates
27 November 2006
BIRN is
producing a weekly current affairs programme “Life in Kosovo”, that is
transmitted on Radio Television Kosova, RTK. The programme includes field
reportage on the issues at hand, direct questioning of decision-makers,
affected parties, and studio debate. It covers the most important political and
social issues unfolding on a weekly basis in Kosovo.
Topics
chosen are closely following government activities, the legislative process in
the Kosovo parliament, and issues relating to Kosovo’s non-Albanian
communities, as well as the economy, property rights, human rights and
decentralisation of government.
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Success Stories
28 November 2006 The reporting by BIRN staff during the March riots in Kosovo was praised by
many institutions and was used as a balanced and accurate resource by several
international media outlets.
Jeta Xharra, director of BIRN Kosovo gave first-hand reports to BBC
Newsnight, BBC News24, BBC World as well as US National Public Radio, Deutche
Welle, Radio France International and the Canadian Broadcasting Cooperation.
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Balkan insight
10 November 2006
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THE PROCESS OF JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS OF JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS
The report on the process of judicial appointments and reappointments analysis the flow of this process, specifically focusing on the bright and dark sides that have marred the process to its final stages.
COURT MONITORING ANNUAL REPORT APRIL 2010 - FEBRUARY 2011
Court monitoring report is published as a result of a continuous monitoring of all municipal and districts courts of Kosovo. The findings of this report are based on the monitoring of 2,147 court hearings, by BIRN monitors.
THE PROCESS OF JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
This report presents the results of part of BIRN's court monitoring project, specifically on the process for the appointment and reappointment of judges and prosecutors.
Follow the Paper Trail
\"Follow the Paper Trail\", a guide to document-based journalism in Kosovo, explains relevant laws, access to public documents, how to publish safely, where to find databases on investigative journalism, and how to locate documents online through various search engines.
Courts Monitoring Report 2010
A detailed analytical report about the work and administration of the courts in Prishtina, Peja, Prizren, Gjilan, Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Gjakova, Decan, Vushtrri, Poduleva, Lipjan, Klina and Istog. The report contains important information, collected by the network of monitors, placed in the major municipalities of Kosovo and aims to identify the key problems and issues that the justice system in Kosovo is facing.
REPORT: Monitoring the Courts 2009
Monitoring the work and administration of courts in Prishtina, Peja, Mitrovica, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Vushtrri and Skenderaj.
DIRECTLY ELECTED MAYOR SYSTEM IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE
The report on Directly Elected mayor System in Local Governance aims to provide a critical overview of the rationale and feasibility of the implementation of a municipal governance system that places the mayor as the central executive figure, during the third year of its application. The efficiency of this system was assessed based on the following pillars: the relationship between local government bodies, accountability of the municipal executive, respect for the law, the link between the mayor and the citizens, provision of public services (water supply and waste management, capital investments (in school and road projects)), level of transparency, public consultation and citizen participation in decision-making.
BIRN Report on Monitoring the Education System
Report on monitoring the elementary and high schools in Prishtina: Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Peja and Gjilan
Analytical report of the situation and the problems in the University of Prishtina
Report on Kosovo`s Healthcare System
Monitoring report on all primary, secondary and tertiary (University Clinical Center of Kosovo, UCCK) healthcare institutions in Pristina, Prizren, Peja, Mitrovica, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Gjakova, Klina, Decan, Istog and Vushtrri.
Situation and the Problems at the University of Prishtina
Analytical report of research into the standards and problems at the University of Prishtina. Ten years since the end of the war in Kosovo, the University of Prishtina (UP) continues to suffer from a variety of problems, resulting in persistently low quality courses being offered. For this reason, BIRN conducted research into the problems faced by UP students. The data gathered suggests that, out of the many issues reported, the most significant are: the non-implementation of contemporary teaching and assessment methods, the lack of practical work for students, the lack of appropriate academic literature, arbitrary assessments by
professors and generally poor relationships between students and their professors.
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Buy DVD
Click here to buy a copy of 'Does Anyone Have a Plan?,' BIRN's feature-length documentary on Kosovo's final status.
"Life in Kosovo" debates also available on DVDs now!
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Post Your Comments
Write your comment on BIRN debates and other activities.With the new web-site BIRN looks forward to receive direct opinions from our readers via comment section.
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Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
The opinions expressed in Balkan Insight are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.
