News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The Basic court in Montenegro has rejected a lawsuit filed by Andrej Vučić, brother of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, against the media outlet Vijesti over its reporting on Sky ECC communications connected to ongoing organized crime investigations. The court found that the journalists acted with due professional care, that the reporting was based on material
Read more →CSOs in North Macedonia are calling on Members of Parliament not to support proposed amendments to the Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games, warning that the changes could seriously undermine the financial sustainability of organisations providing essential support to vulnerable communities. Organisations including the Network for Protection against Discrimination, the Gender Equality Platform,
Read more →A newly adopted proposal in Romania to amend the Law on Associations and Foundations is raising serious concerns among CSOs over growing restrictions on freedom of association and privacy. The draft law, approved by the Senate on 18 May, would require associations and foundations to publicly disclose donor identities and introduces severe sanctions, including suspension
Read more →Recent political developments in Slovenia are raising growing concerns among CSOs over increasing hostility, intimidation, and political pressure targeting independent civic actors. Following the March 2026 parliamentary elections, parties involved in coalition negotiations, particularly the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), have renewed narratives portraying CSOs as politically biased and misusing public funds. Proposed parliamentary inquiries into
Read more →Growing concerns over media freedom and impunity in Serbia have intensified following a court ruling ordering the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation to pay more than one million RSD in damages in a defamation case brought by individuals previously acquitted of the 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija. The ruling followed a public statement by the Foundation
Read more →In its 2026 contribution to the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report, Civil Society Europe warns of a continued shrinking of civic space across the EU, with growing restrictions targeting freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the right to protest. The contribution highlights that restrictive trends are reinforced both at national and EU levels, contributing
Read more →Concerns are growing in Serbia over proposed amendments to the Law on Public Order and Peace that would extend its application to the digital sphere, including social media platforms. The draft foresees sanctions for online insults, offensive behaviour, and other activities already regulated in physical public spaces, treating social networks as a form of public
Read more →A new overview published by the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) shows that the deadline for EU Member States to transpose the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive has passed with uneven implementation across Europe, raising concerns about the level of protection available to journalists, activists, and civil society actors facing abusive lawsuits aimed at silencing public
Read more →A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) warns that shortcomings in the implementation of the EU’s Dual-Use Regulation continue to allow the export of surveillance technologies from EU Member States to countries with documented human rights concerns. Based on research conducted between 2024 and 2026, the report highlights exports of telecom interception systems and
Read more →Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency responsible for coordinating border management and migration-related operations at the EU’s external borders, has announced the composition of its renewed Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights for the 2025–2028 period, bringing together international organisations and civil society actors working on human rights, migration, asylum, and rule of law issues. The
Read more →Recent developments in Hungary have renewed scrutiny over the relationship between political power, state financing, and media influence following significant changes within media and communications networks closely associated with the previous Fidesz government, while the electoral victory of the Tisza party and the end of Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule have intensified debate over how to restore media pluralism
Read more →Albanian CSOs, including BCSDN member Partners Albania, have issued a joint statement calling for stronger alignment with EU standards on participation, funding, and dialogue, at a crucial moment in the country’s EU integration process. While welcoming recent EU developments, including the EU Civil Society Strategy and the EU Democracy Shield, organisations stress that their translation
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