News and updates from BCSDN and the region
BCSDN provides an analysis of the 2024 EC Rule of Law (RoL) report, which, for the first time, includes accession countries: Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia as the most advanced ones on the EU path. The report places these countries on equal footing with EU member states, reflecting their progress in EU integration and
Read more →The CSOs’ participants and activists of the EU Civil Society Forum for Western Balkans and Türkiye, including BCSDN representatives, delivered a joint declaration based on discussions about the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. The declaration emphasizes the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans as a significant opportunity for EU-compliant reforms and increased
Read more →BCSDN issued a press release detailing the main findings and recommendations of its latest report on the surge of Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (SLAPPs) in the Western Balkans. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and North Macedonia are among the top ten European countries for SLAPP cases, which erode basic freedoms and shrink civic space. These
Read more →The 2024 Media Landscape Brief, delivered by SCiDEV provides insights into media freedom developments from June and July in Albania. A new Special Parliamentary Committee has been established to combat disinformation and foreign interference, but concerns arose over its initial exclusion of the opposition. The Committee has invited a broad range of stakeholders for engagement,
Read more →BCSDN member, the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC) released a report on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) in North Macedonia, revealing an alarming increase in such cases aimed at intimidating journalists and activists. The report provides SLAPP cases, where powerful entities use different tactics to silence critics. It highlights insufficient legal protections against
Read more →Intimidatory lawsuits aimed at silencing journalists and media freedom activists by draining their resources have proliferated in Serbia, where there is no legislation to curb aggressive litigation by the rich and powerful. The Slavko Curuvija Foundation received a defamation lawsuit from Ratko Romic, a former state security operative indicted for his involvement in the murder
Read more →The EU and Serbia have advanced a controversial lithium mining project with the signing of a memorandum in Belgrade. This agreement, supported by the multinational corporation Rio Tinto, aims to reduce Europe’s dependence on Chinese lithium for electric vehicle batteries. The deal reflects the EU’s strategy to secure critical raw materials and enhance Europe’s green
Read more →An article by “Slobodna Bosna,” shared by Self-Determination MPs, accuses Serbian President Vučić of influencing media in Kosovo, alleging control over Periskopi and a multi-million transaction with Nacionale to criticize Albin Kurti’s government. The Kosovo Journalists’ Association has repeatedly appealed to Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his ruling Self-Determination Movement to stop “unacceptable campaigns” aimed
Read more →Romanian media argue that recent legal reforms fall short of protecting journalists from SLAPPs intended to stifle free speech. Attila Biro, editor of Context.ro, an investigative news outlet, is facing a 3.4 million EUR lawsuit from businessman Jurgen Faff. The lawsuit claims that Context’s articles about a stalled golf course project in southern Transylvania damaged
Read more →The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium expresses deep alarm over Kosovo’s new media law, passed by the Parliament this month, which poses significant threats to media freedom and independence. This law grants the government greater control over media regulation through the Independent Media Commission (IMC). Concerns include increased political influence on the IMC, mandatory
Read more →Accountable Now’s recent bulletin highlights key insights from the Dynamic Accountability Dialogue on feminist youth-led research. Despite progress in women’s rights, achieving gender equality remains distant, with only 0.2% of global aid addressing violence against women. Young feminists are driving transformative change through innovative solutions and participatory research. The dialogue emphasized the need for organizations
Read more →The OECD Toolkit for implementing the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development and Humanitarian Assistance provides guidance for fostering fair partnerships between aid providers and local CSOs. It focuses on correcting power imbalances, boosting the effectiveness of aid, and encouraging local leadership through participatory methods. The toolkit advocates for involving local CSOs in
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