News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Short Description: The Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, in cooperation with the National Youth Council of Macedonia (NYCM) and the OSCE Mission to Skopje, invites nominations for the 2026 Youth Participation Award. The award recognises outstanding youth-led initiatives that demonstrate active participation, social impact, and sustainable contributions to community development. Awards will be
Read more →Short Description: Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) invites applications for its Summer School of Investigative Reporting, taking place from 17–23 August in Ohrid, North Macedonia. The intensive programme combines practical training in investigative journalism, cross-border reporting, OSINT, data journalism, digital verification, and security, while providing participants with mentorship from leading international journalists and editors to
Read more →Short Description: The Civil Society Resource Centre has launched a mentorship programme to strengthen the organisational capacities and long-term sustainability of CSOs in North Macedonia. Selected organisations will receive tailored support from experienced mentors in areas such as good governance, strategic planning, project and financial management, advocacy, communications, volunteer management, digital transformation, fundraising diversification, Erasmus+,
Read more →Short Description: A fully funded, non-degree professional fellowship in the United States for mid-career professionals. The programme combines academic enrichment, leadership development and a six-week professional affiliation with U.S. institutions to strengthen leadership, foster international collaboration and address global development challenges. Target Group: Mid-career professionals with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent), at least five years
Read more →BCSDN has welcomed Güneş Engin Karamancı to its Board, further strengthening the network’s regional perspective and expertise in civic space, democracy, and civil society development. As Secretary General of TÜSEV, Enlargement Candidate Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), and a member of the European Civic Forum (ECF), Güneş brings extensive experience in
Read more →Thousands of citizens, environmental organisations, and local activists have protested against planned tourism developments in Albania’s Vjosa–Narta protected area, citing concerns over potential impacts on one of the country’s most important coastal ecosystems and habitats for migratory birds, flamingos, sea turtles, and other protected species. More than 98,000 people have signed a public petition calling
Read more →The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted Rapporteur for Serbia Tonino Picula’s report on Serbia, with 51 votes in favor, 14 against, and 10 abstentions. The final report is considerably stricter than the initial draft, assessing Serbia as having made limited or no progress in democratic governance, the rule of law, media freedom,
Read more →EESC convened the EU–Western Balkans Civil Society High-Level Conference in Vienna on 29 May under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Bringing together civil society representatives, policymakers, social partners, EU institutions, and stakeholders from the Western Balkans and EU Member States, the event focused on how to strengthen
Read more →A non-paper signed by Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg proposes a general template for future accession treaties to ensure that forthcoming EU enlargements strengthen rather than strain the Union. The document calls for enhanced safeguards in the rule of law, including a binding non-regression clause and an extended safeguard clause covering democratic principles
Read more →BiEPAG published an analysis of the 2026 EU–Western Balkans Summit, examining the implications of the new Merz–Macron proposal on gradual integration and the future of EU enlargement. The analysis explores opportunities for deeper integration of candidate countries into EU policies and the Single Market before full membership, while also warning against rewarding limited reforms and
Read more →A broad coalition of civil society, media freedom, and human rights organisations has expressed concern over the public targeting of Kristina Voko, Executive Director of BIRN Albania, by Albanian MP Ardit Bido following her intervention during a parliamentary hearing. The signatories argue that a legitimate contribution concerning the legal obligations of the public broadcaster was
Read more →In a major interview published by EUobserver, Natacha Kazatchkine, Secretary General of the European Civic Forum (ECF), warns that a coordinated effort — including through the European Parliament’s EPP-driven Scrutiny Working Group on NGO financing is starving civil society of funding, legitimacy, and space to defend democratic values. Kazatchkine identifies three converging threats: legislation targeting
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