On 12 March 2026, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) organised a conference in Skopje bringing together CSOs, social partners, EU institutions and national authorities to discuss key priorities for North Macedonia’s EU accession process. The event focused on the role of organised civil society in accession negotiations and the implementation of the Reform Agenda, social dialogue, and the protection of civic space, media freedom and efforts to counter disinformation. During the session on enabling civic space, BCSDN’s Acting Executive Director Anja Bosilkova-Antovska, highlighted the importance of safeguarding civic space as a foundation for democratic resilience and EU integration. She noted that while fundamental freedoms are legally guaranteed, challenges remain in their implementation, including increasing pressure on journalists and limited progress in improving financial sustainability for civil society. The discussion also emphasized the importance of stronger cooperation between civil society, media and institutions to address disinformation and strengthen democratic participation in North Macedonia and across the Western Balkans. Read more here.
Source: EESC