The International Fact-Checking Network, IFCN, has extended the international license for Kallxo.com’s fact-checking operation, “Krypometer” following an evaluation process of its success.

The announcement, published on Friday by IFCN states that after assessing the specific criteria, it appears that Krypometer, the product of Kallxo.com, is an exclusive fact-checking initiative that operates within a lawfully registered organization.

The quality of reporting was assessed based on stories published in September, October and November of the last year.

“The general conclusion is that reporting seems to be in line with the principles of fairness, political impartiality and fact-based,” reads the IFCN announcement.

“Public information about the organization, its employees and financial resources is accessible. The fact-checking methodology is explained, corrections are highlighted where such interventions are made in the text,” reads the announcement.

For Faik Ispahiu, director of Internews Kosova, this is an “international credible assessment of work and the way of reporting” at Kallxo.com.

“At a time when truth curls and twists without pity and shame, and when the propaganda of its lowest kind is served to citizens, such appreciation increases our courage to report rightly and with impartiality,” said Ispahiu.

“Certification by IFCN and public confidence makes us proud and strengthens our confidence that Kosovo can be a state of true values ​​and achievements,” he added.

Ispahiu underlined that the Kallxo.com team will justify this assessment with its daily work in fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law in the country.

“Special thanks goes to the entire team of Kallxo.com, Jeta ne Kosove, Drejtesia ne Kosove, Prishtina Insight as well as to the publications and projects of Internews Kosova and BIRN: it is my colleagues who have deserved accreditation and public confidence,” he said.

“Kallxo.com will continue its standard work as has been done so far, serving only for the public interest. We will continue ‘ME KALLXU ME FTYRË’ [tell the truth openly] fight corruption, report the full truth and justify the credibility of our name together with all those who really work for a Kosovo with the rule of law and where values ​​prevail,” said Faik Ispahiu.

Jeta Xharra, director of BIRN Kosovo, explained the work done so far to receive this positive assessment from IFCN.

“IFCN has a system where, it is not simply enough to be good only at the beginning, (in 2018 when we were accredited for the first time) but, in fact, they assess our fact-authentication methodology in a continuous manner,” said Xharra. “

“Therefore, me and my colleagues, need to make sure that we are at the proper level each year because we are the subject of the audit in yearly basis from this international mechanism.”

“As per me, to be fully transparent, I wish to add that, during this process, the IFCN system has analyzed whether we have credible sources and whether we have more than one source in the articles that assess the authenticity of a statement,” she continued.

Xharra said there is no doubt that, for every organization, it is healthy to undergo this editorial supervision each year, especially an organization that monitors other institutions and organizations, and that many other questions were asked by the IFCN in the process.

“Do we refer to accurate statistics? Do we give readers the opportunity to send us additional information? Are we transparent in regard to who finances us? Are we impartial when we report, in other words, do we include into our articles all the involved parties? Do we copy? Do we plagiarize without referring to them properly?” she explained.

“I’ve expected that this checking will identify us with any weaknesses and I did also expect that we will work in order to improve it. But, in fact, we did not have any additional recommendations,” Xharra continued.

“I feel comfortable that the audit of our editorial policy has emerged as “fully compliant,” meaning “it fulfills all the criteria to prove the facts” for the year 2019. All that remains now  is to make sure that we are not arrogant and we are committed to doing our best with our team in order not to lower the criteria, even a year later from today, when our working methodology will be assessed once again and whether it is being implemented in practice properly.”

Krypometer’s goal is to reflect on the credibility of a public statement, to scan and inspect a statement of a political figure on issues of major importance, local, central or international.

Krypometer does not focus solely on the political accusations commonly used during the election campaign, but aims to explain the rather difficult things, to bring the context or the history of that statement and present a data analysis as well as an explanation of how the politicians, diplomats and others, build-up their thinking, in order to distort or shadowing the truth.

Kallxo.com and Jeta ne Kosove are part of the IFCN of the Poynter Institute, which is dedicated to promoting excellence in the authentication of the facts. An impartial and transparent verification of facts can become a powerful tool for accountable journalism. BIRN Kosovo and Internews Kosova are signatories to this Code of Principles that was announced on September 15, 2016.