What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

Media Freedom in South-East Europe Faces Escalating Digital Threats

BIRN’s recent monthly digital violations review highlights Turkey and Croatia grappling with digital censorship and growing government control. Throughout the Balkans, journalists confront escalating online challenges. In Turkey, online censorship, surveillance, and arrests negatively impact independent journalism. Croatia’s proposed Media Law sparks concerns of government control, jeopardizing investigative reporting and source protection. In July, Turkey

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BCSDN at the ECNL Global Counter-terrorism and Tech Workshop: Unpacking the Tech-Security Drives, Protecting Civic Space

On 27 and 28 June, in Haarlem, BCSDN representatives participated in a workshop for the Global Expert Hub on AML/CFT workshop, titled “Unpacking the Tech-Security Drives, Protecting Civic Space“, organized by ECNL. Around 40 CSO representatives and experts on AML/ CTF worldwide participated in the workshop, learning and discussing issues such as emerging technologies, fintech,

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MONEYVAL Calls on North Macedonia to Improve investigation and Prosecution to Combat Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism

Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body MONEYVAL calls on North Macedonia’s authorities to further strengthen measures to combat money laundering (ML), financing of terrorism (FT), and financing of proliferation (FP), in particular in the investigation and prosecution fields. Moneyval further recommends authorities to step up their efforts to implement adequately beneficial ownership standards. Read more

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Croatia’s Proposed Media Law Condemned as ‘Death for Journalism’

The Croatian Journalists’ Association, HND, has strongly condemned the draft media law, noting that it represented unprecedented state interference in journalistic freedoms and in journalistic self-regulation. The draft law proposed by the Culture and Media Ministry was not previously agreed on within the working group of which journalists were members. They also condemned a proposal

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Media Unions Urge Turkey to Stop Using Violence Against Journalists

At the Press Day in Turkey, on 24 July, journalists’ unions and media organizations called on the Turkish government to end pressures, violence, censorship, and imprisonment of journalists and the alleged criminalization of the journalistic profession. The Turkish press council has stated that news can be treated as ‘terrorism’ and a journalist as a ‘terrorist’.

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The Macedonian Journalists’ Association Demand Criminal Responsibility for Explicit Threats Against Journalist Rita Behadini

The Macedonian Journalists’ Association (AJM) is demanding an urgent response to the explicit threats made to journalist Rita Behadini at her announcement regarding the public stance by Saraj’s social network Facebook. In solidarity with the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM), the gender equality platform demands an urgent response by strongly condemning hate speech and

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European Parliament Actions for Enhanced Protection Against SLAPPs: New Measures to Safeguard Public Interest Actors

The European Parliament acted in favor of protecting journalists, media organizations, activists, academics, artists, and researchers from unjustified and harmful legal actions. The Legal Affairs Committee voted in favor of new regulations to safeguard against strategic lawsuits intended to silence individuals involved in the public interest sphere. To enhance protection against SLAPPs, MEPs expanded the

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Battle for Balkan Cybersecurity: Threats and Implications of Biometrics and Digital Identity

The Balkans experiences significant increase in internet penetration and the integration of Biometrics and Digital Identity BDI technologies in various sectors. Between 2020-23, Albania, BiH, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia reported increase in cyberattacks, specifically phishing and ransomware incidents. BIRN has mapped 40 cases and has collated data on cyberattacks targeting the Balkan region’s BDI

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