Željka Kujundžija, a journalist since 1998 and a member of the CIN reporting staff since it began in 2004, has moved up to become managing editor, while another reporter with the center since it began, Svjetlana Ćelić, will become deputy editor. Leila Bičakčić was promoted from business director of CIN, a position she has held for two years, to managing director.
Kujundžija and Ćelić, leading reporters on such CIN projects as ‘Waiting for Justice’ about the War Crimes Chamber and ‘Danger on your Plate’ about faulty food safety in Bosnia and Herzegovina, intend to continue reporting and writing while also directing eight fellow journalists in future investigative projects. Bičakčić is planning new efforts to publicize the work CIN does among the public and to put the center on a firm financial footing.
CIN was founded as a joint program of New York University and the Journalism Development Group and has been funded by a grant from USAID.
Drew Sullivan, former director of CIN, said, ‘I believe we have found three leaders who will continue to turn out important stories that are accurate, thorough, fair and interesting. All of the reporters have been working hard to reach today and I sincerely believe that the best days of CIN are soon to come.’
Rosemary Amao stepped down as managing editor of the center but will continue advising the new director and editors.
Bičakčić, who is from Sarajevo, came to CIN via jobs in OSCE, UNICEF, and then nearly nine years working for ABA CEELI in Sarajevo as office and finance manager and regional financial trainer.
“CIN is a young and rising organization and I believe that the young team we have on board will be able to promote standards and principles of investigative journalism in BiH,“ she said. “I strongly believe that CIN has a great future in front of it and that we’ll be able to go beyond borders in our projects. I’m happy to be part of this successful team.”
Kundžija is also from Sarajevo. She has worked previously for Sarajevo’s Oslobođenje, IREX ProMedia, AIM news service, Nezavisne novine and the monthly magazine ‘Svjetlo riječi’.
Ćelić is from Doboj and has worked for TV and newspapers since 1995. She wrote for Banja Luka papers, Extra magazine and AIM. She also has worked at RTRS, OBN in Sarajevo, ATV in Banja Luka, and as a correspondent for FTV from Banja Luka.
The following reporters make up the Center for Investigative Reporting: Mirsad Brkić, Mirza Bahić, Svjetlana Ćelić, Ida Ðonlagić, Željka Kujundžija, Gordana Lukić, Eldina Pleho, Lidija Pisker and Renata Radić. For more information call: 387 33 560 040.
