We gladly present our 10th Monitoring Matrix Regional Report, synthesizing insights from the BCSDN members country reports on the civil society environment in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Türkiye in 2023. Under revised methodology, the report evaluates 22 standards across three core areas: Basic Freedoms, Financial Viability, and State-CSO Relations. The report’s findings reveal a complex reality for civil society in the region. Legal frameworks often meet international standards, but their implementation lags behind. Financial viability remains fragile, and state-CSO relationships are increasingly strained. The report calls for urgent reforms to support civil society, emphasizing revised NGO laws, the removal of restrictive foreign agents’ policies, and functional CSO registration systems. Transparent public funding, reduced VAT, and supportive financial laws are key to financial viability, alongside strengthened state-CSO cooperation and mandatory CSO roles in EU integration. The EU must also establish binding benchmarks on basic freedoms and financial viability within the enlargement process. The report was presented at an online event, where BCSDN members also reflected on civil society developments in 2024—revealing a similar civil society reality like that of 2023. Find the full report here.
Source: BCSDN