The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) is proud to announce the formal confirmation and overwhelming positive feedback received for the Declaration drafted at the recent regional conference in Tirana. The Declaration, a firm call to action for the protection of civic space and the long-term sustainability of civil society in the Western Balkans, is now the cornerstone of a major, phased advocacy campaign.
The Declaration is the primary outcome of the highly successful “Resilient Voices: Western Balkans Civil Society in a Changing World” regional conference, which recently brought together over 150 civil society representatives, policymakers, institutional actors, and donors in Tirana.
Hosted by Partners Albania for Change and Development and BCSDN, the conference delivered one clear and urgent message: “Without independent civil society, there is no democracy, no credible enlargement, and no European future for the Western Balkans.”
The confirmed Declaration addresses three critical pillars:
- Protecting Civic Space from restrictive legislation and smear campaigns.
- Securing Meaningful Involvement of CSOs as “watchdogs” in the EU integration process.
- Ensuring Financial Sustainability through a transition to flexible, longer-term core funding.
Its core demand is that the EU and international donors must establish the protection of civic space as a non-negotiable benchmark for accession and condition financial disbursements, including those from the new Growth Plan, on upholding the rule of law and fundamental freedoms.
You can find more detailed information on the conference here: Tirana Regional Conference: CSOs are the Foundation for Protecting Democracy.
With the Declaration formally adopted, BCSDN and its partners are immediately moving into an intensive advocacy phase. The plan is to strategically distribute the Declaration on the national, regional, and EU levels to all key stakeholders, including governments, the European Commission, and leading donor institutions. The advocacy efforts will be realized in phases, crucially integrating the evidence and policy recommendations from the recent Donor Research to build an unassailable case for structural change.
The network is now focused on building a broad and powerful coalition. We will be actively engaging partners to secure support for the Declaration and transform its calls to action into tangible policy change across the Western Balkans.
Is your organization ready to stand with us and express your support for the key demands outlined in the Declaration from the Tirana Regional Conference?
By backing this document, your organization signals its commitment to the non-negotiable standards of civic space protection, democratic oversight, and sustainable funding for the sector. We need your solidarity to effectively advocate for these changes in national capitals and Brussels.
To express your support please email us at: executiveoffice@balkancsd.net
We will need:
- We confirm our organization supports the Declaration.
- Organization Name.
- Contact person (name, title, email).
BCSDN encourages all interested stakeholders to review the full text of the Declaration and join the collective effort to secure a democratic and European future for the Western Balkans.