What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

CfA: Inclusive Democracy Accelerator (IDA) (Deadline: 24 November)

Target group: CSOs working with governments; CSOs with existing participatory initiatives focused on marginalized groups, including women, youth, and displaced people. Countries: Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa or Asia. Short Description: The program aims to enhance participatory and deliberative democracy for historically marginalized communities, and equip CSOs and governments with tools and mentorship to engage these

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CfA: Global Perspectives 2024 ‘Truth, Trust and Technology’ (Deadline: 26 November)

Target group: Leaders and innovators from international civil society organizations (ICSOs), politics, and business. Countries: Global Short Description: The Global Perspectives 2024 event will focus on the intersection of truth, trust, and technology, addressing the challenges posed by mis- and disinformation, the role of civil society organizations in strengthening information ecosystems, combating anti-rights disinformation, and fostering

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CfA: Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network Fellowship 2024 (Deadline: 4 December)

Target group: Young, diverse leaders in elected office, civil society, and business Countries: WB6, EU and EU candidate countries, United States Short Description: TILN is a transatlantic fellowship network of young leaders collaborating to promote inclusive policies and social cohesion across the US and Europe. Fellows receive mentorship, coaching, and training to prepare for leadership

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BCSDN Virtual Event: Countering Foreign Agents Laws and Narratives with Dynamic Accountability [November 6th & 8th, 14h CET]

Foreign agents’ laws, already widespread across Europe, are now encroaching on the Western Balkans and Turkey. How can civil society effectively respond to the rising trend? Can dynamic accountability approaches counter harmful narratives? BCSDN is hosting a two-day virtual event, on November 6th and 8th at 14h CET to explore these pressing questions. During the

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2024 EU Enlargement Package Released, BCSDN’s In-Depth Analysis on Key Civil Society Findings for Western Balkans Coming Soon!

The European Commission’s latest Enlargement Package evaluates the progress of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Türkiye on their EU accession paths. Civil society in the Western Balkans operates in diverse conditions, from largely enabling in Kosovo, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, to challenging in Albania and constrained in

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BCSDN at EESC Enlargement High-Level Forum: Shaping the EU’s Path with Civil Society and Core Democratic Values

EESC hosted the Enlargement High-Level Forum in Brussels on October 24, where over 140 representatives from civil society, governments, and EU institutions, including BCSDN members’ representatives, as a part ECMI initiative discussed the critical role of civil society in the EU accession process. The forum emphasized a collaborative approach for a “values-driven” enlargement, aligning candidate

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CPCD’s 2023 Monitoring Matrix Report on Civil Society Environment in BiH: Increasing Threats to Fundamental Freedoms

BCSDN member, Center for Civil Society Promotion (CPCD), published the 2023 report on the civil society environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The report outlines both enabling aspects and critical challenges faced by CSOs. While CSOs maintain certain freedoms, such as the ability to register and operate with access to foreign funding, numerous obstacles persist. Key

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Carnegie: All Is Not Well with EU Enlargement to the Western Balkans

Serbia and North Macedonia are rethinking EU membership, exploring alternatives that promise economic benefits without the EU’s demands. While the EU has promoted integration with the Western Balkans—most recently through the Berlin Process summit and a 6 billion EUR growth plan—progress remains mixed. North Macedonia’s path has stalled due to Bulgaria’s constitutional demands, while Serbia’s

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Turkey: Government Reintroduces Controversial “Agents of Influence” Bill, Labelling Journalists, CSOs and Activists as “Foreign Agents”

The Turkish government has reintroduced the controversial “agents of influence” bill to parliament after previously withdrawing it due to public backlash. The legislation seeks to add a new offense to the Turkish Penal Code, imposing prison sentences of three to seven years on individuals acting in the interests of foreign entities. While the government asserts

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Serbia: Ongoing SLAPP Lawsuits Against KRIK Threaten Press Freedom

Media organizations in Serbia are raising alarms over multiple SLAPPs targeting the Serbian investigative news outlet KRIK. Currently facing 16 lawsuits, KRIK journalists Stevan Dojčinović and Bojana Pavlović are being prosecuted by Court Judge Dušanka Đorđević, for alleged data protection violations after the journalists reported on Judge Đorđević’s assets using publicly available information. The plaintiffs

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