CV

Drita Abdiu –Halili

Drita Abdiu - Halili was born on September 15 1978 in Tetovo, where she completed primary and secondary education.

She is an Albanian Language and Literature graduate at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje - Faculty of Philology. She is currently pursuing postgraduate studies (second cycle) in International Relations at the SEE University Tetovo.

She has many years of work experience in various state institutions as well as international organizations and missions.

From 1999-2002 she worked as a fixer, translator and field producer for several foreign news agencies in the country such as: Newsweek (USA), CNN (USA), BBC (United Kingdom), AFP (France), New York Times (USA), Financial Times, Sunday Times (United Kingdom), National Post (Canada), El Mundo (Spain), De Volkskrant (Netherlands) and De Morgen (Belgium). 

From February 2004 to December 2005 she worked as a language assistant and administrator in the international police mission EUPOL Proxima in Macedonia. During this engagement she has performed several important work duties such as: assisting the members of the international mission in their contacts with the police authorities in the host country, assisting in compiling programs and projects within the mandate of the mission, performing liaising interpreting during meetings, performing administrative and secretarial duties, organizing and facilitating meetings with national authorities etc.

December 2005 - 2006 - Member of the BIRN Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (Balkan Insight). BIRN contains interregional reporting on key issues related to the region's development and progress towards European political, social and economic standards. With more than 20,000 subscribers, the online publication Balkan Insight provides weekly coverage in a variety of genres. During this period she has produced several local and regional stories which have been published on BIRN Macedonia's website in Albanian, Macedonian and English language.

From December 2005 to 2011 she worked as a freelance researcher and translator for several foreign and international media. During this time she conducted local research, contacts and scheduling for foreign journalists, including regional correspondents for the New York Times, Al Jazeera English-Athens, and the Financial Times of London. She has also provided and broadcasted stories for the English Al Jazeera.

May - June 2011 she was engaged within the ODIHR / OSCE mission, mainly media monitoring during the early parliamentary elections in Macedonia.

In the period August 2011 to April 2013, she worked as Chief of Staff of the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs at the Secretariat for European Affairs of the Republic of Northern Macedonia in Skopje. In this position she performed several tasks such as: professional support of the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU Affairs, planning and coordination of the activities of the members of the institution, supervision of the execution of the activities in the department, organization and cooperation in the execution of the tasks in the Sector with the ministries and other state administration bodies and public bodies, cooperation at appropriate level in domestic, foreign and international organizations to perform analysis, evaluation and assessment of issues and problems that arise in the work of the Department, providing incentives for solving problems and issues within the scope of the department.

From April 2013 to November 2021, she was appointed as Deputy Head of the Sector for Support of the Work of the Mayor in the Municipality of Tetova. During this period she fulfilled key administrative tasks for the mayor such as: planning and coordination of public activities of the Mayor, coordination and supervision of the execution of the works in the sector as well as solving the problems and issues within the scope of the sector.

From December 9 to 18 2013, Mrs. Abdiu also attended the EUVP (European Union Visitors Program) in Brussels, Belgium. Program organized by The European Commission and European Parliament. Mrs Abdiu attended this program at the time she served as Chief of Staff of the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs at the Secretariat for European Affairs of the Republic of Northern Macedonia in Skopje.

From February 3 till 21, 2014, nominated by sector of Political affairs of the US Embassy in Skopje, she participated  in the International Visitor Leadership Program in the United States, organized by the US Department of State on the topic of “Accountability in Government 2 ”. This program included a variety of appointments with individuals and visiting different organizations in the United States.

Drita Abdiu Halili is fluent in several languages ​​such as: Albanian (native), Macedonian, English, Turkish and Serbo-Croatian. She also has excellent organizational skills and solid computer working knowledge.