What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

Montenegro: A Call for Foreign Agents Law Sparks Concerns from CSOs and International Community over Human Rights and EU Integration

After the political party ‘For the Future of Montenegro’ called for a Foreign Agents Law to label NGOs receiving foreign funding as ‘foreign agents,’ a coalition of CSOs, including BCSDN member CRNVO, raised concerns about its potential to undermine human rights and hinder Montenegro’s EU integration. The coalition emphasized that Montenegro’s NGO sector is already regulated

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Liberties: Gap Analysis of the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report 2024

Liberties has published a gap analysis highlighting the shortcomings of the EU Commission’s rule of law report 2024, arguing that it functions more as a monitoring tool than an effective means of addressing democratic backsliding. While the fifth report introduced improvements, such as including enlargement countries, the analysis shows that many Member States, including Germany,

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Albania: Smear Campaign Targets SciDev Executive Director and OBCT Over Media Freedom Report

On October 6, the Albanian tabloid “Prapaskena” launched a smear campaign against Blerjana Bino, Executive Director of the Centre for Science and Innovation for Development (SciDev), accusing her of producing a biased media freedom report favoring former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. The report, created by SciDev and Osservatorio Balkani Caucaso Transeuropa, analyzed the Albanian media

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Serbia: KRIK’s Bojana Pavlović Addresses SLAPP Lawsuit Over Judicial Reporting

In a recent interview for Oštro, Bojana Pavlović from the Serbian investigative portal KRIK discussed the strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPPs) filed against her and editor Stevan Dojčinović by the Judge Dušanka Đorđević. The lawsuit stems from KRIK’s project “Prosudi ko sudi,” which profiles over 50 judges involved in criminal and corruption cases, including

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Albania: Violent Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Tirana

On October 7, violent anti-government protests erupted in Tirana in response to the imprisonment of opposition MP Ervin Salianji. Protesters threw Molotov cocktails at key government buildings, including the prime minister’s office and the headquarters of the ruling Socialist Party. Clashes with police occurred outside parliament, where law enforcement used tear gas to control the

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Serbian CSOs Call for Action: One Year of Prosecutor Inaction on Misuse of Millions of EUR in Public Tender Funds

A year after filing a criminal complaint regarding the misuse of millions of euros from public tenders by the Ministry of Family Care and Demography in Serbia, BCSDN member Civic Initiatives and members of the OKO Coalition demand updates from the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime. The complaint, filed in September 2023, accuses former Minister

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BCSDN at the III Regional Conference Stronger Together: Journalists and Judiciary Safeguarding Media Freedom

From September 18-20, the third regional conference, “Stronger Together: Journalists and the Judiciary Protect Media Freedoms,” was held in Mavrovo, North Macedonia, organized by the Association of Journalists in North Macedonia, Free Press Unlimited, and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee. Over 90 journalists, judges, and prosecutors gathered to address challenges to media freedom in the Western

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Serbia: United Media Alerts International Community on Escalating Media Attacks

United Media (UM) has alerted the international community to escalating attacks on independent media in Serbia. In a letter to European officials, organizations protecting press freedom, and diplomats, UM highlighted the targeting of the outlets—N1, Nova, Danas, and Radar—by government officials, pro-regime media, and political figures. The attacks intensified following UM’s coverage of lithium mining

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Albania: SCiDEV Welcomes Country Joining the European Centre for Countering Hybrid Threats

In September, Albania became the 36th member of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE), aiming to enhance its ability to address hybrid threats like cyberattacks and disinformation. The Albanian Parliament ratified the membership with overwhelming support, designating the National Authority for Cyber Security as the national representative. SCiDEV welcomes Albania’s

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Croatia: Major Challenges in Advancing Media Freedom

The international media freedom mission to Croatia has underscored significant challenges regarding media law reform, transparency in state advertising, and journalist safety, including the threats posed by Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). Conducted between September 9 and 20, the mission involved meetings with various governmental and media organizations. Critics have expressed concerns over the

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Serbia: Civil Society Council Members Urge Prime Minister to Support CSOs Amid Media Attacks

An open letter from members of Serbia’s Council for Creating an Enabling Environment for Civil Society, including BCSDN member Civic Initiatives, urges Prime Minister Miloš Vučević to address recent media attacks on CSOs. The letter condemns misinformation regarding CSO funding and activities, which threatens democracy and Serbia’s EU accession process. It calls on the Prime

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BiH: Joint Submission by Civil Society Initiative for the 4th Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Joint Submission of the BiH Civil Society Initiative, a coalition of 14 organizations working in various human rights fields, for the 4th Universal Periodic Review highlights ongoing human rights challenges in BiH from 2019 to 2024. Key issues include the operationalization of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), persistent gender inequality, and the discriminatory nature

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