18 years in the service of information and development of local democracy

Gjilan – The Journalist Club ‘Beqir Musliu’ from Gjilan was established on 16 January 2001 at the initiative of regional journalists. Since its foundation the club has organized and held over 200 round table discussions and debates of interest to civil society and citizens of Gjilan and Kosovo. The aim of this club has always been and still remains to be the advancement of regional journalism, the progress and the advancement of (newspaper) writings, immediate, objective and impartial information, and the involvement of citizens in decision-making processes. Now Mr. Musa Sabedini‚ the one who always stood at the correct level of his professional duty (responsibility) by giving a rare example of citizenship and offering a different journalism in the region‚ remembers these 18 years of hard work and engagement.

Musa Sabedini is the founder, planner and moderator of all debates held by the ‘Beqir Musliu’ Journalist Club in different cities of Kosovo, but also in Macedonia.
Mr. Sabedini says that the goal has been achieved thanks to the engagement of the Board of the Club, from which all the ideas and concepts emerge.

Mr. Sabedini adds that this Club for these 18 years was in the service of fair, accurate, impartial and objective information and successfully managed to accomplish the mission, that is informing fairly, correctly and professionally.

‘The Journalist Club’ Beqir Musliu ‘was established on January 16, 2001, at the initiative of regional journalists. Since its foundation the club has organized and held over 160 round tables and debates of interest to civil society and citizens of Gjilan and Kosovo. The aim of this club has always been and still remains to be the advancement of regional journalism, the progress and the advancement of writings, quick/immediate, objective and impartial information, and the involvement of citizens in decision-making processes, ‘says Musa Sabedini.

While talking about the activities and the work in this club, Mr. Sabedini said that the colleagues have stood together for 18 years now. “We talked, discussed, disputed‚ argued about various topics. ‘We started our work with great dedication, engaging ourselves in maximum to work and keep up to date. Even during these 18 years we stood together, discussed together, sensitized together, talked and gave ideas all together. We addressed (treated) the most vital problems of the city of Gjilan and Anamorava and in case of need we treated the vital problems of Kosovo too, said Mr. Sabedini.

‘With our debates we showed the values of democracy and advanced the values of the debate culture. The only purpose that united us was the only common interest – the welfare of the citizen and the advancement of his rights. We were constructors of our institutions; we made an indispensable contribution for these institutions to serve the citizens. ‘

According to him the only sovereign was the citizens and those who wanted open, sincere and direct dialogue.
‘Not by chance the Journalist Club’ Beqir Musliu ‘already has two roles. The first role is the information and the second role is citizen’s involvement in decision-making processes. So in 2018 we have demanded accountability from the elected people for the most crucial issues. Certainly we were helped and supported by the citizens, experts of different fields, responsible people in Kosovo institutions, and opposition parties in Gjilan. In fact in our debates, our citizen had the opportunity to talk free and without any censorship with his elect, with those who for these years, led us well or badly. ‘

Also according to Mr. Sabedini this club was also in the service of fair, accurate, impartial and objective information and successfully managed to accomplish the mission, that is informing fairly, correctly and professionally. ‘Journalists of Gjilan for these 18 years were on the level of duty with dedication and never kneeled before the evil of negative phenomena. Simply, we were observers and at the same time attackers of everything that was of interest to the citizens. We reacted‚ countered and protected journalists at all times and their hard work. ‘

Mr. Sabedini adds that the round tables and debates of the Club were the arena of confrontations, ideas and suggestions. ‘And I just want to ensure you that in the following years the Club will be in the service of its profession – investigative journalism, and in the service of advancing the moral and human values of all those who want an environment where the law prevails , where crime is relentlessly hit, where the victim is protected, where bad gets the deserved response, ‘ said Mr. Sabedini.

Undoubtedly, all of these ideas and concepts to develop life in Gjilan and Anamorava could not be realized without the continued support of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation, headquartered in Pristina; of municipal institutions and our important partners’ pointed out Mr. Sabedini.

During these 18 years the Club has dealt with topics related to infrastructure, health, culture, public services, social life, religious problems, terrorism, prostitution, organized crime, smuggling, economic problems, privatization, vital citizens’ problems, electricity, water, sewage etc./rajonipress/

The text was translated and adapted by Driton Dalipi