News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Serbia and North Macedonia are rethinking EU membership, exploring alternatives that promise economic benefits without the EU’s demands. While the EU has promoted integration with the Western Balkans—most recently through the Berlin Process summit and a 6 billion EUR growth plan—progress remains mixed. North Macedonia’s path has stalled due to Bulgaria’s constitutional demands, while Serbia’s
Read more →The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), and the Council of Europe will co-host the second European Anti-SLAPP Conference on November 14, 2024. The event will focus on combating SLAPPs—strategic lawsuits intended to intimidate and silence those exercising their rights to public participation. The conference will
Read more →Following the initiative by our Serbian member, Civic Initiatives, BCSDN facilitated high-level advocacy meetings in Brussels from October 1-3 to raise awareness of the growing crackdown on civic freedoms in Serbia. A public hearing in the European Parliament, hosted by Green MEPs Gordan Bosanac and Vladimir Prebilič, featured Serbian activists and CSO representatives, including Uroš
Read more →Civic Initiatives has released an updated version of their analysis on the repressive government’s mechanisms used in Serbia, supplementing it with new data and refreshing key sections. The report highlights how protests against lithium mining reflect broader demands for transparency, rule of law, and democratic governance. Over just ten days, these actions led to 41
Read more →The 2024 Civil Society and Think Tank Forum of the Berlin Process took place from October 9-11 in Berlin, celebrating its 10th anniversary. The event gathered over 115 organizations from the Western Balkans and the EU to discuss critical topics such as EU integration, energy transition, rule of law, gender and diversity, and others. Anja
Read more →The European Civic Forum, Civil Society Europe, and Liberties released two papers for establishing a protection mechanism for human rights defenders (HRDs) and CSOs in Europe. The Mapping Paper provides an overview of the existing protection landscape, identifying gaps and challenges faced by HRDs and CSOs, while the Pathways Paper proposes strategies to enhance this
Read more →The document answers key questions and clarifies common misconceptions about the proposed Directive on third-country interest representation. It highlights that the Directive would have failed to detect recent instances of foreign interference, such as Qatargate and Russiagate, and suggests it could negatively impact civic space and academic freedom. The Directive is already being used to
Read more →On October 4, severe floods hit multiple regions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including Jablanica, Tarčin, Kiseljak, Kreševo, and Konjic. The devastation left homes submerged, roads blocked, and bridges destroyed. Many families suffered human and material losses. Rescue efforts are underway, with the EU Civil Protection Mechanism activated, sending teams to the affected areas. BCSDN stands
Read more →BCSDN, in a joint statement, strongly supports Serbian civil society, calling for an end to government repression and standing with activists defending democratic values and basic rights. Recent protests over corruption, environmental issues, and rigged elections—intensified by opposition to Rio Tinto’s mining plans—have faced government-led smear campaigns, intimidation, and arrests. In 10 days, 33 activists
Read more →EU is committed to promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, both within its member states and in candidate countries. These values are central to the EU’s enlargement policy, which prioritizes rule of law reforms, which features a “fundamentals first” approach. Recently, the EU has opened some of its key rule of law
Read more →Albania is set to open its first negotiating cluster with the EU on 15 October, marking a key step in its accession process. Meanwhile, North Macedonia is not expected to advance, even though it began its accession talks at the same time as Albania in 2022, facing delays due to Bulgaria’s likely veto over unresolved
Read more →In an open letter to key EU leaders, 415 CSOs from 26 Member States and 4 candidate countries urged prioritization of a vibrant civic space in the upcoming five years. They emphasize civil society’s vital role in democracy, human rights, and accountability but note a decline in civic freedoms, the rule of law, and democracy
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