Skopje, 20 October 2014 - In the context of the South East Europe Media Forum, a regional conference organized with the support of UNESCO and the European Commission, Access Info Europe and UNESCO held its 6th Legal Leaks training seminar in the South East Europe region in collaboration with the Macedonian Institute for Media. The training took place in Skopje on 16 October 2014 and had as trainers: Helen Darbishire, executive director of Access Info Europe; Victoria Anderica, legal researcher and campaigner in Access Info Europe; and Gavin Sheridan, investigative journalist and FOI expert. The Macedonian version of the Legal

Podgorica, 14 June 2014 - "There is a weak culture of investigative journalism in Montenegro, with young journalists not being encouraged by editors to use the access to information law," stated participants in last week’s Legal Leaks training in Podgorica. Long timeframes for responding to requests for information and complex appeals procedures were also concerns raised by the participants in the training, which took place on 12 and 13 June 2014 and was organized by UNESCO in cooperation with Access Info Europe, the Media Self-Regulation Council and South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM). The event gathered around

Belgrade, 18 June 2014 - Belgrade was the fifth and last stop of the Legal Leaks training tour for media professionals in South East Europe. The workshop held on 16 and 17 June 2014 was opened by Rodoljub Sabic, Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection in Serbia, who highlighted the importance of journalists for public debate and the need for access to information to reinforce the role they play in the society. "Truth seeking requires skills," he told the around 30 journalists from around the country. The event was organized by UNESCO in cooperation with Access

Sarajevo, 12 June 2014- Data journalism is opening up new possibilities for journalists to disclose new types of stories and to present complex information to readers through infographics. This new form of journalism is ever more popular as an addition to traditional journalism. In a world of ever-growing flow of data, data-driven journalism is becoming an essential part of journalistic work. To enhance journalists’ skills to access information and also to help journalists analyse and present the obtained data, a Legal Leaks training was organized in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 10 and 11 June 2014. Organised by UNESCO in

Tirana, 6 June 2014 - Is the Albanian law on access to information useful in the daily work of Albanian journalists? Is its implementation a pending issue? Should journalists play a greater role in implementing the law and in encouraging the rest of society to use this right? To advance debate on these issues, a Legal Leaks training seminar was organized by UNESCO in cooperation with Access Info Europe, the SEENPM and the Albanian Media Institute. Around 30 participants joined that event, which took place in Tirana on 4 and 5 June 2014. "The Albanian access to information law has

Prishtina, 4 June 2014 - How is taxpayers’ money being spent in a city? What are the plans for constructing a public hospital or a new school? Who received public contracts for building a new road or public infrastructure? Answers to those questions can be as interesting for readers, listeners and viewers as any story about political intrigue or international affairs. By using access to information laws, journalists can lead to strong everyday stories of high public interest. To help media professionals get information held by public bodies for their stories, a Legal Leaks training seminar was organized by UNESCO

Madrid, 24 July 2014 – As part of the Legal Leaks trainings which has taken place during the month of June in five different countries in the Balkans – Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia -, Access Info Europe and UNESCO, in partnership with the EU Commission, has organised a challenge for journalists taking part in these courses. What is the challenge about? Journalists shall write a story based on one or more access to information requests they have previously made. The article will have to be written in English, and will be a maximum of 2000 words

Madrid, 2 June 2014 – UNESCO and Access Info Europe will be carrying out a series of Legal Leaks trainings during the following month of June in five different Balkans countries, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo. The Legal Leaks trainings are meant to empower journalists to use their national freedom of information laws as a regular part of their work. The training provides guidance on how to file freedom of information requests and contributes to protect media freedom by delivering techniques by which journalists can protect the security of their data and of confidential sources of

Journalists play a central role in initiating and stimulating public debates but face constant challenges in accessing information from public bodies, particularly when that information relates to issues such as corruption and organised crime, violations of human rights, controversial international relations, environmental contamination, relationships with business and lobby groups, and the more sensitive aspects of EU integration. Legal Leaks helps to empower journalists to recoup their role as public watchdogs through exercise of their right of access to information in both their own country and other countries. The Legal Leaks toolkit has been designed for journalists working in any media