What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

CfA: Citizen Engagement Event – “Voices for Change” (Date: 24 September 2025)

Short Description: ALDA will host a participatory citizen engagement event in Veles, North Macedonia, to gather local perspectives on the future of phosphogypsum (PG) stacks and their potential for sustainable urban regeneration. Target Group: Local citizens, environmental stakeholders, urban planners, community organizers, researchers, and civil society actors. Countries: North Macedonia (with regional relevance to Western

Read more →

CfA: Youth Social Act – Transnational Training Workshop in Cyprus (25 September – 1 October 2025)

Short Description: Transnational training workshop in Nicosia, Cyprus, bringing together 22 youth workers and young participants from across Europe. The workshop will follow a curriculum co-developed by the project consortium, focused on democratic engagement, civic competence, and social innovation at the local level. Target Group: Young people and youth workers committed to fostering youth participation,

Read more →

CfA: North Macedonia – Annual “Ilija Županoski” Award for Combating Disinformation (Deadline: 1 October 2025)

Short Description: The Metamorphosis Foundation announces the second edition of the annual “Ilija Županoski” Award, open to journalists, civil society organizations, and individuals who have contributed to combating disinformation in North Macedonia. Target Group: Journalists, CSOs, and individuals (including groups) who have published relevant work between 1 November 2024 and 1 October 2025 in newspapers,

Read more →

UN Experts Concerns over FATF’s New Procedure on NPOs

In June 2025, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) introduced a new procedure intended to mitigate the unintended consequences that its standards can have on non-profit organizations (NPOs). While the measure aims to ensure that rules on combating terrorist financing are applied proportionately and without suppressing legitimate civil society activity, leading UN Special Rapporteurs have

Read more →

CfA: The Authoritarian Eco-System – Call for Policy Brief Submissions (Deadline: 3 October 2025)

Short Description: The UK Political Studies Association (PSA) Specialist Group Autocracy and Regime Change (ARC), in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), invites submissions of editor-reviewed policy briefs exploring key elements of the authoritarian eco-system. Target Group: Scholars and experts in political science, authoritarianism, regime change, international relations, digital disinformation, and related fields.

Read more →

Reimagining Civil Society Financing in Times of Crisis

Political and financial instability, including USAID’s dismantling and cuts in Official Development Assistance, have disrupted funding flows, undermining civil society organisations’ ability to plan strategically, deliver effectively, and innovate. With aid increasingly politicised and tied to geopolitical interests, international CSOs face heightened accountability demands to ensure transparency, sustainability, and relevance in crisis contexts. The International

Read more →

Executive Order Reshaping Federal Grants

A new U.S. executive order is poised to fundamentally reshape federal grant funding by aligning it directly with the President’s policy priorities. The article outlines how this “structural transformation” will introduce political oversight, potentially terminate existing grants, and make peer review optional. For grantees, this creates new administrative and legal challenges, potentially leading to the

Read more →

BCSDN Statement on Violence and Repression During Serbian Protests

The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) has expressed deep concern over violence during nationwide protests in Serbia on August 13, 2025. Demonstrations in over 30 cities, including Belgrade and Novi Sad, were met with excessive force, with reports of physical assaults, chemical agents, and the deployment of the military unit “Kobre.” Over 60 people,

Read more →

Media in the Balkans: The Rise of Oligarchs

The rise in media outlets across the Western Balkans suggests increased pluralism but is marred by growing ownership by influential business figures. An increasing number of media outlets in the Balkan region are being acquired and controlled by wealthy tycoons, which is having a significant impact on editorial policies, leading to increased problems with censorship

Read more →

A Step Toward Media Freedom and Public Service Safeguards

The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) is a critical development for media independence and pluralism in Europe. The new legislation, which became effective on August 8, provides essential safeguards for public service media by protecting them from political interference in their governance and mandating stable, adequate, and predictable funding. This is crucial for the media

Read more →