News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Recent developments in Hungary have renewed scrutiny over the relationship between political power, state financing, and media influence following significant changes within media and communications networks closely associated with the previous Fidesz government, while the electoral victory of the Tisza party and the end of Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule have intensified debate over how to restore media pluralism
Read more →The newly launched Civic Space Report of the European Civic Forum (ECF), presented at the European Parliament in Brussels, raises serious concerns over the continued deterioration of civic space across the Western Balkans. The chapter dedicated to the region, authored by BCSDN, documents a widening gap between formal democratic commitments and the increasingly restrictive realities faced by CSOs, activists, journalists, and independent
Read more →The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted the 2025 reports on Albania and Montenegro at a time of renewed momentum for EU enlargement and increased attention to the credibility of the accession process in the Western Balkans. The reports welcome progress in both countries while stressing that further reforms remain necessary, particularly in
Read more →A proposed initiative in Bugojno to introduce local public order measures allowing police sanctions for “insulting” or “disturbing” content on social media has raised concerns among journalists, media experts, and CSOs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The proposal follows a similar decision previously adopted in Kakanj, where local authorities expanded the definition of “public space” to include online platforms,
Read more →The newly launched RESILIO-ACCESS Monitor, an analytical tool designed to measure the resilience of the rule of law in EU accession countries, introduces a new approach to assessing both institutional capacity and the ability of democratic systems to withstand political pressure, democratic backsliding, and autocratisation attempts. By bringing together comparative data and resilience-focused analysis, the Monitor
Read more →In an open letter to EU institutions, BCSDN calls for clear safeguards, participation, and dedicated funding for civil society in the 2028–2034 MFF, warning that enlargement will depend on how commitments translate into real support. While the EU Civil Society Strategy and European Democracy Shield signal stronger recognition of civil society, current proposals—marked by more
Read more →Western Balkan countries risk losing over 700 million EUR from the EU Growth Plan by mid-2026 due to delays in implementing agreed reforms. The EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos warned regional governments to accelerate progress and fully utilise available funding. While initial disbursements have reached most countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains behind due to
Read more →The fifth European SLAPP Contest, organised by the CASE Coalition on 28 April, highlighted individuals and entities using lawsuits to silence critics across Europe. Winners included the Barabás Brothers (HELL ENERGY Ltd, Hungary) as SLAPP Addict of the Year, Belgian politician Claude Eerdekens as SLAPP Politician of the Year, Croatian judge Ivan Marković as SLAPP
Read more →Media freedom in the EU continued to deteriorate in 2025, despite the adoption of new legislation, according to the Liberties Media Freedom Report 2026. While instruments such as the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) and the Anti-SLAPP Directive were expected to strengthen protections, slow and often superficial implementation has limited their impact. Persistent concerns remain,
Read more →Reporters Without Borders has released its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, marking its 25th edition, warning of a global deterioration in journalism conditions, with 100 out of 180 countries recording a decline. Political pressure, growing authoritarian tendencies, and a weakened media market continue to undermine press freedom worldwide. In Europe and Central Asia, the region
Read more →As the global community looks beyond 2030, Forus presents its new Vision Paper, What We Defend, Demand and Decline, outlining key priorities for the next global development framework. Based on consultations across a global network representing over 24,000 NGOs, the paper explores possible futures—from continuity to reset or fragmentation—while highlighting the need to defend a
Read more →Albanian CSOs, including BCSDN member Partners Albania, have issued a joint statement calling for stronger alignment with EU standards on participation, funding, and dialogue, at a crucial moment in the country’s EU integration process. While welcoming recent EU developments, including the EU Civil Society Strategy and the EU Democracy Shield, organisations stress that their translation
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