What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

BiH CSOs: The Laws Adopted by the National Assembly of Republika Srpska Represent a Revenge Attack on All Critical Voices

BiH CSOs have strongly condemned the urgent adoption of four laws by the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, particularly the so-called Foreign Agents Law, which they view as a direct attack on critical voices, independent organizations, media, and opposition figures. The law enables strict financial oversight of CSOs receiving international funding, branding them as “foreign

Read more →

Defending Civic Space in EU Enlargement: Key Takeaways from BCSDN’s High-Level Policy Dialogues in Brussels

From February 24-26, BCSDN and partners conducted a high-level advocacy visit to Brussels, engaging with EU policymakers, civil society, and think tanks. The key event, Western Balkans Civil Society Policy Dialogues in Brussels: How Do We Get to Enlargement That Delivers?, organized in cooperation with the Think for Europe Network and Open Society Foundation –

Read more →

CfP: BIRN Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants (Deadline: 2 March)

Target groups: Local media outlets from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Aim: To support audience-engaged journalism by equipping media outlets with digital tools, training, and mentoring to enhance community participation, transparency, and investigative reporting. Amount: Up to 60,000 EUR total budget; individual grants up to 5,000 EUR; cross-border grants up

Read more →

New BCSDN Policy Brief: Why Civic Space Must Be an EU Accession Priority

BCSDN’s latest policy brief highlights the alarming decline of civic space in the Western Balkans and Türkiye. Governments are enacting restrictive laws, curbing media freedom, and using financial and administrative pressure to silence civil society. Public funding for CSOs is politically controlled, unpredictable, and insufficient, while bureaucratic hurdles further limit independent financing. Moreover, governments are

Read more →

EESC Announces Civil Society Week 2025 (March 17-20) Focused on Cohesion and Participation

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has announced that Civil Society Week 2025 will be held in Brussels from March 17-20, focusing on “Strengthening Cohesion and Participation in Polarised Societies”. The event will address the challenges posed by recent crises, including the pandemic, climate change, rising living costs, and income disparities, which have deepened

Read more →

European Parliament’s AFET Committee Reviews Draft Reports on Serbia and Kosovo

The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) has reviewed draft reports on Serbia and Kosovo, emphasizing the need to relaunch dialogue and advance rule of law reforms. The report on Serbia, led by MEP Tonino Picula, rapporteur for Serbia, acknowledges the country’s formal commitment to EU integration but raises concerns over judicial independence, alignment

Read more →

Serbia: Widespread Public Support and International Reactions to Ongoing Protests

Student-led protests in Serbia continue to gain significant public backing, with 80% of citizens supporting the students’ demands, and one-third actively participating in demonstrations. The protests, initially sparked by concerns over corruption and governance failures after the collapse of the Novi Sad railway station canopy, which tragically claimed 15 lives, have since grown into a

Read more →

TUSEV Publishes 2022- 2023 Report on the Civil Society Environment in Türkiye

Together with our member TÜSEV, we present the Monitoring Matrix on the Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development 2022-2023 Türkiye Report. According to the report’s findings, civil society continues to face legal and bureaucratic restrictions that limit freedom of association. Vague legal terms like “public order” and “morality” enable arbitrary enforcement, further shrinking civic space.

Read more →

Albania: CSOs Open Letter on Assessing the 2019–2023 Roadmap and Drafting the 2024–2027 Roadmap for Civil Society Development

In a letter to the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Albanian CSOs, including BCSDN member Partners Albania for Change and Development, raise concerns over the lack of transparency in assessing the 2019–2023 Roadmap and drafting the 2024–2027 framework. The letter highlights that, despite the government’s commitment to fostering an enabling environment for civil society,

Read more →

Research Publication: Building a Constituency of CSOs in Serbia

A recent study by the Institute of Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, supported by Helvetas Serbia and BCSDN member Civic Initiatives, highlights strategies for CSOs to strengthen community connections. The research emphasizes five key findings: raising awareness and identifying allies, building and measuring support through partnerships, capacity building through resources and collaboration, and

Read more →