The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) in Albania has launched a call for investigative stories, offering grants for four journalists to produce articles on topics related to the environment. The call is part of the project called “Using Big Data and Multimedia to Boost Quality and Independent Journalism in Albania”, supported by the European Union.

The goal of the project is to create an enabling environment for Albanian journalists to produce independent content through training, mentoring, technical and financial support, and close cooperation with civil society, so improving freedom of expression and strengthening media pluralism in Albania.

The call is based on topics suggested by civil society activists and journalists during a workshop held on 10 June in Tirana. The workshop was attended by two dozen civil society activists and journalists, who debated important topics that should be investigated related to the environment as well as discussing the need to build stronger communication and cooperation between civil society organisations and journalists.

The journalists supported through this call 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.