News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) is a critical development for media independence and pluralism in Europe. The new legislation, which became effective on August 8, provides essential safeguards for public service media by protecting them from political interference in their governance and mandating stable, adequate, and predictable funding. This is crucial for the media
Read more →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
Read more →CIVICUS Monitor has published its July 2025 Watchlist, identifying six countries where civic freedoms are under serious and escalating threat, including two countries from the region – Serbia and Türkiye. This marks the second consecutive Watchlist in which Serbia has been included, reflecting deepening concerns over government-led smear campaigns, legal harassment of civil society actors,
Read more →The Western Balkans Disinformation Center released an analysis on fake news in Serbia, highlighting a pro-government media campaign targeting student protests and university blockades over six months. These outlets aim to discredit activists by spreading falsehoods about their motives and funding, especially after a peaceful student event with European Parliament rapporteur Tonino Picula was portrayed
Read more →Civil Society Europe (CSE) new `Civil Society State of Union` Report warns of a significant decline in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law since 2023, affecting both the EU and worldwide. Key findings include: democratic erosion, restrictive migration policies, weakened social rights, Inaction on climate change, and unchecked digitalization. The Civil Society State
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Read more →The European Commission’s 2025 Rule of Law Report acknowledges civil society as essential for EU integration but highlights persistent challenges across the Western Balkans. CSOs continue to face threats to operational space, legal uncertainty, and limited access to public funding. In Serbia, surveillance concerns are raised over the use of spyware targeting civil society. In
Read more →The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) issued a public statement condemning the disproportionate use of police force during the Vidovdan protest in Serbia on 28 June 2025. While demonstrators gathered peacefully to demand early elections and government accountability, law enforcement used tear gas, stun grenades, and physical force against protesters and journalists. BCSDN stressed
Read more →The Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies has released a commentary outlining how centre-right forces can respond to the growing influence of the radical right in Europe. Highlighting the erosion of liberal democracy by nationalist and populist actors, the piece argues that the centre-right must actively defend rule of law, support robust institutions, and embrace
Read more →Marking three decades since the Srebrenica genocide, civil society across the region is renewing calls for remembrance, justice, and resistance to historical revisionism. The July 1995 massacre, in which over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were executed, remains the most severe atrocity in Europe since WWII. It has been officially recognized as genocide by both
Read more →On 28 June 2025, Serbia’s national holiday Vidovdan, tens of thousands of citizens joined a mass protest in Belgrade demanding early elections, government accountability, and systemic reforms. Initiated by students and supported by teachers, farmers, and civil society actors, the protest represents the culmination of the eight-month movement sparked by the deadly Novi Sad station
Read more →In its official reaction to the European Parliament Bureau’s decision to establish a Working Group on the transparency and efficiency of EU NGO funding, BCSDN raises concerns about the potential implications for the enabling environment of civil society in Europe. The network cautions that, while transparency remains essential, existing financial controls are already extensive and
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