VVOJ2012 audio verslag: Latvian brides, British isles, Asian grooms

Many Latvian young women are recruited online using social networking sites. The ads on these websites look like job ads but they’re actually for potential brides. The women can go to Ireland for 6 months for a minimal pay and free accommodation. But when they arrive, they have to get into a sham marriage with […]

VVOJ2012 Audio verslag: Arms trade in the Balkans

In 1992, a conflict started in the Balkan countries that would turn out to be one of the bloodiest in the history of Europe. Even today new information is surfacing about this conflict. Slovenian journalist Blaž Zgaga got his hands on more than 6000 documents, which tell the story of a massive illegal arms deal […]

VVOJ2012 Audioverslag: Buy your way into EU citizenship

Moldavians without any bond with Romania or other EU-countries are applying for Romanian citizenship. Dodgy dealers, fake applicants and a trail of genuine employment contracts take part in the story. Romanian journalist Adrian Mogos talks about his investigation in the grey circuit of citizenship applications, his plans of making a small documentary and the newspaper […]

VVOJ2012 Audio Verslag: cord blood and shady banking

Clea Caulcutt (UK) followed the trail of cord blood being banked in Belgium, France and the rest of Europe. Mothers throughout the EU are encouraged to privately bank the cord blood of their newborn babies. Cord blood contains stam cells, which the private banks say can be used to cure many diseases like Parkinson, cancer, […]

VVOJ2012 audio verslag: the method of cross-border journalism

VPRO journalist Huub Jaspers thinks the website investigativestories.org is merely a stepping stone. He thinks it’s a great initiative but it is only the first of many steps. You really have to contact other journalists to be able to trust them. Investigative journalism can only be done if there is a mutual trust. Listen here […]

VVOJ2012 download: the art of the interview, the confrontation

Bij een confronterend interview is het erg belangrijk om vooraf goed research te doen. Maar volgens Ton van Dijk moet je tijdens het interview ook letten op de omgeving en andere details. Beluister hier het interview met Ton van Dijk. Interview: Jolien Baeke en Shanna Verspreet, Plantijn Hogeschool