BCSDN has released its latest Monitoring Matrix report offering the most comprehensive regional assessment of civic space in the Western Balkans and Türkiye during 2024. Backed by a decade of on-the-ground monitoring, this year’s report sounds the alarm: while legal guarantees for civil society remain on paper, their enforcement is collapsing under political pressure, hostile narratives, and regulatory neglect. The report exposes deepening repression and democratic backsliding in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Türkiye, where smear campaigns, surveillance, and legal intimidation are silencing dissent, but it also recognizes isolated instances of progress driven by effective civil society advocacy. Financial instability and shrinking access to resources further weaken CSOs’ ability to operate independently. Read the full report and its Key Takeaways to see why BCSDN is calling on governments, donors, and international actors to act urgently and decisively to reverse these trends and protect civic space in the region. Explore regional and country data, long-term trends, and interactive visuals at https://monitoringmatrix.net.
Source: BCSDN