News and updates from BCSDN and the region
At the high-level conference “EU Enlargement and Societal Transformation in the Western Balkans: Civil Society and Youth Engagement for Democratic Resilience” hosted by the College of Europe on 13 March in Tirana, BCSDN Executive Director Biljana Spasovska joined a panel alongside Commissioner Marta Kos and other key speakers to discuss the role of civil society
Read more →Looking for a new challenge in communications? BCSDN is hiring a Communications Officer to join our Executive Office in Skopje, North Macedonia. This full-time position is ideal for someone with interest and knowledge about civil society, democracy, and civic space. Candidates should have at least five years of experience in the civil society sector, strong
Read more →BCSDN, together with the European Civic Forum, coordinated and joined the call with 130 CSOs from across Europe to demand justice, democracy, and fundamental freedoms for Serbia. Civil society faces escalating attacks, including illegal police raids on NGOs and violent repression of protests after the Novi Sad train station collapse. The government’s response—arrests, intimidation, and
Read more →BCSDN condemns the adoption of the “Foreign Agents Law” in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, which forces non-profits receiving foreign funding to register as “foreign agents,” restricting their activities and undermining independent civil society. Passed without meaningful debate despite widespread opposition, the law expands government control over CSOs, intensifying repression alongside restrictive defamation laws.
Read more →The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) invites CSOs working on human rights in the EU and selected candidate countries to participate in its consultation, assessing the challenges faced by CSOs, their staff, and volunteers, as well as the support and protection they need. The consultation seeks experiences and suggestions on the general situation of
Read more →The European Parliament will open an office in Tirana, Albania to strengthen engagement with the Western Balkans, enhancing ties with national parliaments, civil society, and local partners. The office will promote EU accession efforts, support democracy and institutional reforms, and assist with MEP visits. This move reflects the EU’s commitment to deepening cooperation with candidate
Read more →From February 24-26, BCSDN and partners conducted a high-level advocacy visit to Brussels, engaging with EU policymakers, civil society, and think tanks. The key event, Western Balkans Civil Society Policy Dialogues in Brussels: How Do We Get to Enlargement That Delivers?, organized in cooperation with the Think for Europe Network and Open Society Foundation –
Read more →BCSDN strongly condemns the February 25 raids on Civic Initiatives, CRTA, Trag Foundation, the Center for Practical Politics, and KOMS, calling it yet another case of state pressure on independent civil society in Serbia. Conducted without prior notice, search warrants, or official explanation, the raids were reportedly linked to alleged misuse of USAID funds and
Read more →The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has announced that Civil Society Week 2025 will be held in Brussels from March 17-20, focusing on “Strengthening Cohesion and Participation in Polarised Societies”. The event will address the challenges posed by recent crises, including the pandemic, climate change, rising living costs, and income disparities, which have deepened
Read more →The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) has reviewed draft reports on Serbia and Kosovo, emphasizing the need to relaunch dialogue and advance rule of law reforms. The report on Serbia, led by MEP Tonino Picula, rapporteur for Serbia, acknowledges the country’s formal commitment to EU integration but raises concerns over judicial independence, alignment
Read more →The U.S. administration’s 90-day freeze on foreign aid, including USAID funding, has severely impacted civil society in the Western Balkans. The decision has disrupted critical programs supporting independent media, marginalized groups, economic competitiveness, and citizen participation. Beyond the immediate financial fallout, the freeze has emboldened nationalist and right-wing actors to escalate attacks on civil society.
Read more →BCSDN and Think for Europe Network (TEN) are organizing the Western Balkans Civil Society Policy Dialogues in Brussels. This high-level event, hosted and moderated by the European Policy Center (EPC), will bring together leading CSOs, policy experts, EU officials, and representatives from Member States to explore the evolving challenges and opportunities in the EU enlargement
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