Krenar Gashi

Krenar Gashi is an award-winning investigative journalist from Kosovo. Currently he works for the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, where he serves as Kosovo Editor for BIRN’s online publication Balkan Insight and as Editor in Chief of Prishtina Insight – a biweekly English language newspaper.

Gashi also coordinates BIRN’s investigative team and Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence in Kosovo. [ [http://www.birn.eu.com/en/1/205/633/ Krenar Gashi's CV at BIRN.eu.com] ]

He has been working for various media outlets since 2000, including TV 21, KohaVision and most recently Radio Television Kosovo, RTK, setting up the public television station's website. [ [http://www.rtklive.com RTK Official Website] ]

Gashi worked as a trainer in 2004 on a project for Internews Kosova, where he worked with students from the local journalism faculty on radio reporting and production techniques.

He has completed investigative and web journalism training at several institutions, including the International Journalism Summer School in London and the Online Journalism course at the Berlin-based Centre for Investigative Journalism.

He is currently studying for a Masters degree in Journalism and Communication in KIJAC, a Kosovo-based institute. [ [http://www.kijac.org KIJAC Official Website] ]

Career

Krenar Gashi's investigative work has stretched from investigating fake personal documents in Kosovo, weapons smuggling, to investigations on war crimes and groups of ethnic Albanian fighters operating in Kosovo.

In 2006 Gashi led a BIRN an undercover investigation into illegal activities of passport smugglers in Kosovo and the network of passport scams which describe the current identification documents situation in Kosovo. In the investigation Gashi examined the market that the racketeers have set up, posing as mediators between ordinary people and complex government institutions in the region.

The investigation on Kosovan passports was republished by Korieri Newspaper in Albania, Focus Agency in Bulgaria, Epoka e Re, Express, Koha Ditore and Kosova Sot in Kosovo, PCNEN in Montenegro, Hotnews, Euractiv and Romania Libera in Romania, B92, Beta, Tanjug, The Belgrade Times and Danas in Serbia. [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/insight/opinions.php?yyyy=2006&mm=12&nav_id=38453/ Ex-Policemen Run Kosovo Passport Scam republished at B92.net] ]

In 2007 BIRN published Gashi`s investigation that revealed the booming illegal weapons’ market in Kosovo. The major findings of the report were that there is a growing market of illegal trade of weapons in Kosovo and that this market is being stimulated by lax laws of the international administration.

The report also reveals that there are many gas-guns entering Kosovo where they are modified and turned to real lethal guns. Article contains information gathered from official sources, administration, police and government, combined with the findings from the field.

Following this widely-republished investigative report [ [http://www.newkosovareport.com/20071130271/Society/Kosovo-a-Gunrunners-Paradise.html/ Gashi's article republished at New Kosova Report] ] , the UN administration in Kosovo, UNMIK, initiated changes in legislation about weapon possession and also altered the licensing procedures. [ [http://www.unmikonline.org UNMIK's official website] ]

His latest investigative work, include reports that look into several separate groups of ethnic Albanian fighters operating in Kosovo and corrupted officials within the Government of Kosovo.

Apart from these reports, Gashi has covered intensively all ongoing events in Kosovo through numerous analytical articles.

In the days leading up to 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, Gashi also contributed to London's Financial Times. [ [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/510fa16e-d69e-11dc-b9f4-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1 Gashi's article at the Financial Times] ]

His investigative reports for BIRN's Balkan Insight have been republished elsewhere in the media and have made the front pages of newspapers in the region.

Awards

* Best Written Story in 2007 - Kosovo's Association of Professional Journalists. [ [http://www.apjk.org APJK official website] ]

* BIRN's internal award for outstanding quality of reporting, innovative approach and investigative journalism. [ [http://www.birn.eu.com/en/1/20/7121/ BIRN Award for Kosovo Editor] ]

External links

* [http://www.balkaninsight.com/?tpl=321&tpid=220/ Off the Record - Krenar Gashi's Blog at Balkan Insight]

Sources