The European Commission published the Enlargement Package, assessing the progress of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Türkiye towards EU accession, offering recommendations on reform priorities. Montenegro has met interim benchmarks for rule of law and is advancing in its negotiations, while Bosnia and Herzegovina began accession talks in March 2024. Screening concluded for Albania and North Macedonia, with Albania advancing in negotiations.
New EU tools are accelerating socio-economic growth in partner countries, with initiatives like the 6 billion EUR Reform & Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, 50 billion EUR Ukraine Facility, and 1.8 billion EUR Moldova Growth Plan, all supporting reforms in justice and rule of law.
Civil society in the Western Balkans operates in diverse conditions, from largely enabling in Kosovo, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, to challenging in Albania and constrained in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where funding and consistent government cooperation are limited. Serbia remains the most restrictive, with ongoing attacks, smear campaigns, and SLAPP lawsuits targeting critical voices.
Key Civil Society highlights across Western Balkans countries:
- CSOs in Albania operate in a challenging environment, including in relation to registration requirements and limited public funding for CSOs. The legal framework on the right to freedom of assembly and association is in line with international standards. The role of civil society, including in the EU accession negotiation process, should be further strengthened. The structures in place for consulting civil society need to be reinforced and become fully operational. In addition, the conditions necessary for an effective VAT exemption need to be put in place without further delay.
- CSOs in BiH operate in a constrained environment, in particular in the Republika Srpska entity. In May 2024, RS government withdrew its draft law on ‘foreign agents,’ which should not be reintroduced, as it threatens democratic values and fundamental freedoms. Criminal penalties for defamation in Republika Srpska continue to restrict civil society, freedom of expression, and media freedom, creating a chilling effect; defamation remains to be decriminalized nationwide. BiH needs to ensure meaningful and systematic consultations with civil society as part of an inclusive policy dialogue and adopt a framework for the transparent funding of CSOs, thus ensuring an enabling environment for civil society.
- CSOs in Kosovo operate in a largely enabling environment. Civil society remained active and diverse, playing a meaningful role in designing, implementing and overseeing EU-related reforms. Kosovo has taken specific action to increase the transparency and accountability of public funding for CSOs, but challenges remain on the reporting and assessment of the effectiveness of allocated funds.
- CSOs in Montenegro operate in an enabling environment. The main legal and institutional framework for civil society to operate freely is in place. The role of civil society in policy making is formalised, yet at times purely symbolic. The Council for Cooperation between the Government and NGOs has not resumed work. Further efforts are needed to ensure genuine and meaningful cooperation between the government and CSOs.
- CSOs in North Macedonia operate in an overall enabling environment. However, the government should increase its efforts to mainstream civil society engagement in priority areas and in consultation activities. Existing legal and financial frameworks still need to be amended and implemented, particularly to provide consistent mechanisms for providing transparent public funding to CSOs. Urgent efforts are needed to resume the activities of the Council for Cooperation between the Government and Civil Society. Along with transparency on State funding to CSOs, the proper implementation of the existing legal and financial frameworks requires a clear institutional set-up for cooperation with civil society, and implementation and monitoring of the government strategy for cooperation with civil society 2022-2024.
- CSOs in Serbia operate in a difficult environment, with continued verbal attacks and smear campaigns, including by high-level officials. Tabloids have intensified these campaigns by disclosing CSO activists’ personal data. Human rights defenders targeted by spyware attacks did not file formal complaints due to a lack of trust in the process. Organizations and individuals critical of the authorities, especially those monitoring alleged electoral irregularities, environmental damage, or protesting the glorification of war criminals and lithium mining, continue to face pressure. The high number of SLAPP cases, notably from national and local authorities, is a major concern. Public funding transparency for civil society also needs significant improvement.
Stay tuned and follow our website and social media for the upcoming BCSDN annual Background Analysis of the EU Enlargement Package. This report will offer detailed insights and analysis on fundamental freedoms, CSO financial viability, and cooperation between civil society and government, comparing findings against the BCSDN 2023 Monitoring Matrix Regional Report.