This is us
We are a team of journalists, editors, content creators, and other media professionals who believe that verified information is the foundation of a democratic society. Oštro is not a collection of individuals, but a connected team of people with diverse expertise who together keep watch over facts, power, and the public interest.
EDITORIAL TEAM
Investigative journalism is today — as we face the erosion of democratic norms and principles — the last line of defence against totalitarianisms of all kinds.
She entered investigative journalism in 2006, still as a reporter for the daily Delo, with which she parted ways at the end of March 2018. Since then, she has gained extensive experience and specialist knowledge in investigative and data journalism. She continues to build on this expertise as the founder of Oštro, the Center for Investigative Journalism in the Adriatic Region.
She spent 2015 in courtrooms: the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency prosecuted her for allegedly publishing classified information in articles about neo‑Nazis within the SDS. She faced a potential three‑year prison sentence but was ultimately acquitted of all charges. That same year, she founded the Evroplanci project, through which journalists representing all 28 EU member states demanded that the European Parliament release data on how MEPs spend their professional allowances.
She works as a regional editor for OCCRP, a journalistic organization that exposes organized crime and corruption. She is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the Forbidden Stories network. As part of major international investigative projects — including Panama Papers, Paradise Papers, FinCEN Files, and The Laundromats — she is a co‑recipient of numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize.
For her work, she and her colleagues received the Websi Award in the media category and the Čuvaj Award for outstanding achievements, presented by the Slovene Association of Journalists. The European media outlet Politico Europe ranked her sixth among the 28 most influential Europeans of 2018 for her work on the Evroplanci project.
Her heart — Slovenian from her mother and Croatian from her father — is divided, and so Oštro, too, will work at the intersection of both countries.
Journalism is a ticket into every world — from a shack to a palace, from a beggar to the pope. And the ticket is always valid for two. Without the reader, the journalist goes nowhere. Together, it becomes fun: the journalist lifts the rugs so the reader can see what lies beneath.
Uroš Škerl Kramberger wrote for Delo and its Sobotna priloga from 2003, and from 2006 for Dnevnik and Objektiv. In his articles and reportage from Slovenia and abroad, he covered political power and people’s power, social movements, conflicts, protests, and migration. He is a recipient of the Slovene Association of Journalists’ Award, the European Parliament Award, and the Anna Lindh Foundation Award for journalistic excellence. At the Faculty of Social Sciences, he served as a teaching assistant in practical journalism courses. Since 2012, he has been a member of the board of Slovenska filantropija. In 2024, he joined Oštro’s editorial team.
With a critical and responsive audience, journalists should constantly scrutinise information that too often goes unnoticed, as well as officials who are far too frequently given a free pass.
Meta Gantar holds a master’s degree in journalism. She worked as editor and journalist for the student newspaper Klin, at the local radio station Radio Sora, and for the TV show Tednik on Television Slovenia. She first encountered investigative journalism in 2019 at Oštro, when she joined the project Razkrinkavanje.si as one of the first students through the incubator programme. Since then, she has contributed to various stories, projects, and international investigations.
Investigative journalism — especially in an age flooded with information — serves as a compass: it guides the public toward credible data about those in power, and through vigilant scrutiny steers power‑holders toward responsible conduct.
Nina Rozman holds a degree in journalism and a master’s in marketing communications and public relations. As part of the Naprej/Forward festival, she wrote contributions for the website of the Slovene Association of Journalists. She further developed her journalistic skills during an internship at the newspaper Dnevnik.
In the hyper‑informational age, when more and more media outlets are becoming carriers of party propaganda, investigative journalism is the one that ensures the transmission of high‑quality information.
Žan Premrov holds a degree in history and cultural anthropology and is pursuing a pedagogical master’s degree in history. Before joining Oštro, he worked from 2021 as a contributor to the current‑affairs desk at Radio Študent.
Investigative journalism reaches beyond surface‑level stories, gives meaning to complex numbers and data, and keeps watch over those in positions of power.
Eva Gračanin holds a master’s degree in sociology and pedagogy. In addition to working as a journalist at Oštro, she is also active at Radio Študent. During her studies, she worked as a journalist for the University Desk, and today she mentors the high‑school radio show Dijakobinci.
Investigative journalism is the bulwark of a profession that is all too often — and increasingly — reduced to the uncritical transmission of stakeholders’ positions.
Antun Katalenić entered journalism through the current‑affairs desk at Radio Študent, where he also served as an editor. Before joining Oštro, he worked in the foreign‑affairs desk of the Slovenian Press Agency. He has also produced content for several domestic and international media outlets as a freelance journalist.
Good journalism angers the powerful and the privileged, while empowering everyone else.
Žana Erznožnik holds a degree in journalism and a master’s in marketing communications and public relations. During her studies, she edited Klin, the student journalism newspaper, and with her team received two awards for outstanding academic achievements. Before joining Oštro, she worked with the domestic‑politics desk of the Slovenian Press Agency and the weekly Mladina. At Oštro, she contributes to investigative projects. For the Smetosled project, she and her team received a commendation from the Slovene Association of Journalists.
Investigative journalism is a beacon that exposes injustices and guides those who seek the truth.
Lara Drugovič holds a degree from the Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security, where she completed her studies with a thesis on media ownership. She is continuing her academic path in the master’s programme in journalism, focusing on data journalism and developing a strong interest in investigative reporting. She is expanding her knowledge through her work at Oštro.
Even in an age of disinformation and fake news, we must care not only about what we report, but also about how we speak about these things.
Aljaž Primožič graduated in philosophy and Russian studies from the Faculty of Arts and is currently completing his master’s degree in journalism at the Faculty of Social Sciences. In addition to investigative journalism, he writes semi‑literary and literary texts published on various platforms in Slovenia and abroad. He joined Oštro in the spring of 2025.
Photo: Matej Povše
ILLUSTRATORS
Investigative journalism is digging to the bottom, peeking under the rug, revealing the other side of the coin … all the things for which we far too often run out of time or patience today.
Matej de Cecco (1979, Kranj) is an illustrator and comic artist. A translator and interpreter by training, he now illustrates youth publications and designs mascots, mobile games, and comics. He lives and works in Ljubljana.
Investigative journalism is like a helmet for the nose — the very nose others so often like to pull.
Milanka Fabjančič is an illustrator and author of animated films. After completing her painting studies at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana, she channelled her drawing skills into storytelling — often stories without words. Her illustrations are rich in codes and hidden meanings, frequently shedding new, unexpected light on the work of writers, columnists, and screenwriters. She teaches the course Zgodboris at the School of Arts, University of Nova Gorica. She adores animated films and has devoted most of her recent years to them. She loves both grounded people and dreamers, but she does not appreciate being led by the nose.
Abuse of power is followed by outrage — an outrage that becomes inspiration for how to inform others about that abuse.
Samira Kentrić is a visual artist who blends public and political language with the intimate sphere of everyday life. Through her work, she seeks to communicate what remains unreflected — and therefore uncomfortable or hidden — in contemporary society. She has illustrated numerous books and newspapers, including Dnevnikov Objektiv, Sobotna priloga Dela, Mobitel’s Zaupne besede, Finance, and the AGRFT theatre programme. She collaborates with various publishers and authors and occasionally writes original articles. Three of her graphic novels have been published to date: Balkanalije, Pismo Adni, and Adna.
The world must be explored, sifted through, and examined to see what in it is true and what is not. And then it must be drawn.
Izar Lunaček (1979) is a philosopher and comic artist with a dozen published albums (including two abroad) and several dozen illustrated books for children and young adults. In his spare time, he runs the comic shop Striparna on Poljanska Street, organizes the Tinta comic festival, and translates works by French comic authors into Slovene — a contribution for which he received the French Order of Arts and Letters.
Investigative journalism does not blow away the stench — it reveals its source and the reasons it came to be.
ADMINISTRATION
darja@ostro.si
Photo: Matej Povše
Today, information travels faster than our ability to reflect on it. I miss critical thinking. That is why investigative journalism matters not only because it exposes wrongdoing, but because it teaches people to distinguish between opinion and fact, belief and evidence. It teaches them to think.
Darja Tibaot Ciringer, MA in political science and BA in journalism, has more than 25 years of experience in the media. After over two decades of journalism at POP TV and RTV Slovenia — where she produced complex stories on social change, the economy, and politics — she shifted toward strategic communication, content‑project management, and communication campaigns. Today, she combines her journalistic expertise with strategic communication, team leadership, teaching, and doctoral research in critical thinking. As a member of the expert committee evaluating undergraduate theses, she successfully transfers her extensive media knowledge into pedagogical practice.
Only truly independent investigative journalism is, in fact, the fourth pillar of any serious democracy and an invaluable source of an informed and aware public.
Manca Šetinc Vernik is a communication specialist with long‑standing experience in project management, the development of didactic modules and manuals, and the delivery of workshops and trainings in global education, human rights, and non‑discrimination. She gained experience at the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia, the Institute for Ethnic Studies, and in the NGO sector, where she worked for the past 15 years. She has also served as an external expert for the Council of Europe, the European Commission, and the OSCE.
Manca Šetinc Vernik is a communication specialist with long‑standing experience in project management, the development of didactic modules and manuals, and the delivery of workshops and trainings in global education, human rights, and non‑discrimination. She gained experience at the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia, the Institute for Ethnic Studies, and in the NGO sector, where she worked for the past 15 years. She has also served as an external expert for the Council of Europe, the European Commission, and the OSCE.
Photo: Matej Povše
The stories we tell shape our reality. It is up to us what kind of world we will live in — a world of truth or a world of illusions.
A graduate in cultural studies and journalism, she gained media experience at the newspaper Delo. Alongside her regular work, she wrote for international publications such as Unearthed Women, Versopolis, Slovenia Times, and later Static Media. She now applies her journalistic instincts to advocacy and public relations, where she closely follows the age of post‑truth and the paradox of a technologically advanced yet meaning‑starved society. She is deeply aware of the importance and power of investigative journalism in a world grappling with ideological, geopolitical, and environmental challenges. When not working with words, she explores visual worlds as a photographer.
Photo: Matej Povše
Investigative journalism is a fight against the distortion of facts and the spread of disinformation. When Pandora’s box one day opens and all the lies escape, only hope will remain.
Ana Maria Bratić holds a degree in textile engineering and is currently studying graphic and interactive communications. During her studies, she worked on projects across various fields, preparing and designing visual solutions for different clients, including the Ljubljana Firefighters’ Association and the Slovenian Hospice Society. During her internship at the advertising agency Internavti, she created social‑media content for clients such as Velux, bob, and Generali Investments. At Oštro, she continues her creative path by producing diverse content for multiple social‑media platforms.
MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTE COUNCIL
Photo: personal archive
Investigative journalism is one of the few things in the world that still brings about positive change.
Miranda Patrucić, born in Sarajevo, is an investigative journalist and editor‑in‑chief of OCCRP. She is the recipient of the Knight International Journalism Award, the Global Shining Light Award, the Tom Renner Award from IRE, the Daniel Pearl Award, and the European Press Prize. She is widely sought after as a lecturer for journalists around the world on investigating and uncovering corruption, money laundering, and financial tracing. She is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the Forbidden Stories network.
Photo: personal archive
Investigative journalism is the heart of journalism. Without those who help us separate the wheat from the chaff, the world would be far less democratic and far less free.
Nataša Briški holds a university degree in journalism and a master’s degree in political science (University of Ljubljana). She works as a consultant for strategic communication and the management of social media and new media platforms, advising on public relations, effective media communication, and public speaking.
She is also the co‑founder and director of the Metina lista institute, leading the team that creates content for the online platform metinalista.si. She is the co‑author of the podcasts Metin čaj, Evropska četrt, and LD;GD. She is a member of the Expert Council for Gender Equality (MDDSZ), the Commission for Equal Opportunities in Science (MIZŠ), and the Human Rights Council.
Photo: personal archive
The role of investigative journalism is to expose the many forms of wrongdoing and lies committed by people and organisations that hold power.
Nils Mulvad is a co‑founder of the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) and other journalistic networks such as Farmsubsidy.org. From 2001 to 2006, he served as CEO of the Danish International Center for Analytical Reporting, Dicar, and was named European Journalist of the Year in 2006. He lectures internationally on data and online journalism, focusing on the use of social and mobile media. He is a partner and editor at the media company Kaas & Mulvad and taught at the Danish School of Media and Journalism from 2001 to 2015.
With a critical and responsive audience, journalists should constantly scrutinise information that too often goes unnoticed, as well as officials who are far too frequently given a free pass.
Meta Gantar holds a master’s degree in journalism. She worked as editor and journalist for the student newspaper Klin, at the local radio station Radio Sora, and for the TV show Tednik on Television Slovenia. She first encountered investigative journalism in 2019 at Oštro, when she joined the project Razkrinkavanje.si as one of the first students through the incubator programme. Since then, she has contributed to various stories, projects, and international investigations.
MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTE’S EXPERT COUNCIL
Photo: personal archive
The role of investigative journalism is to expose the corrupt systems and abuses of power that harm people.
Marina Walker Guevara is the executive editor at the Pulitzer Center in Washington. She was for many years the deputy director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a network of reporters in 80 countries collaborating on stories with global impact. She led two of the largest collaborative journalism projects in history: the Panama Papers and the Paradise Papers. These investigations brought together hundreds of journalists and media partners who used technology to extract public‑interest stories from terabytes of leaked financial data.
Photo: personal archive
Investigative work — uncovering the truth that those in power try to hide — is the foundation of quality journalism, and quality journalism is essential for preserving a democracy that works in the public interest.
Mojca Pajnik is a full professor in the Department of Media and Communication Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, where she teaches media systems as well as political and intercultural communication. She is a senior research fellow at the Peace Institute, head of the research programme Equality and Human Rights in the Age of Global Governance, and leader of several research projects in the fields of media and communication.
