News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The book offers an in-depth investigation of the emergence and spread of social mobilizations that transcend ethnicity in societies violently divided along ethno-national lines. Using BiH as a case study, the book explores episodes of mobilization which have superseded ethno-nationalist cleavages. Marked by citizen demand for accountable governance, responsive urbanism, and access to basic human
Read more →From “Balkan spring” protests in Serbia, Albania and Montenegro to women’s rights marches in Croatia and anti-corruption rallies in Romania, people in the Balkans took to the streets in record numbers in 2019. People in the region protested in public against authoritarianism, corruption, the lack of women’s right and inaction on the environment. People in
Read more →ECNL Briefer on Monitoring Public Assemblies gives a quick rundown of principles and practices human rights groups or individuals have to consider before, during and after monitoring a public assembly, protest or demonstration. The briefer provides answers to the questions such as: How do you have to plan and prepare to monitor an assembly? What
Read more →The thematic study reflects on the state of NGOs carrying out humanitarian assistance and related work in support of refugees and other migrants in Council of Europe (CoE) Member States, and the extent to which any law that criminalizes NGO activity and the enforcement of such law impacts on legitimate NGO activity. The study concludes
Read more →Despite the fact that the Universal Declaration with its broad range of political, civil, social, cultural and economic rights stands for “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations”, unfortunately the Western Balkans and Turkey (WBT) cannot testify for a comprehensive level of enabling environment for civil society. Throughout the region, as the
Read more →An informal document of the European Commission on the situation in Chapters 23 and 24 in negotiations with Serbia, the so-called “non-paper”, has been published on the website of the Serbian Ministry of European Integration. It represents a six-month report that informs the EU Member States on the situation in areas of key importance for
Read more →A new BIRN report shows that Liberal-sounding access to information laws – vital for a free media – have yet to bring real transparency to the traditionally secretive countries of the Balkan region. With the aid of the information gained from 854 official requests to access public documents, submitted between January 2017 and June 2019,
Read more →The Center for Development of Non-Governmental Organizations (CRNVO), organized a conference in Podgorica titled: “My Community – A Strong Community”. Among the speakers, was the…
Read more →Gong and Corporate Europe Observatory, with the support of more than 30 Croatian and European CSOs, appeal to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic with the proposal to include transparency of law-making and lobbying influence in the priorities of the soon-to-be EU Council Presidency. They call the Government of the Republic of Croatia to support the non-paper
Read more →Ten years ago, the smartphones and social platforms that helped to enable the protests were celebrated as vectors of positive change, opening avenues for speech and organizing beyond the control of authoritarian governments. They are now more often seen as fueling division, empowering surveillance, invading our privacy, and eviscerating the economic underpinnings of a free
Read more →Protests are taking different forms, from large and repeated demonstrations to the occupation of public places and spontaneous assemblies. The reasons for increasing mobilization of protesters across Europe are manifold. They include economic inequalities, decreasing trust in the traditional political elites and institutions, violations of human rights and democratic rules, etc. Protecting the right to
Read more →The International Civil Society Centre is working with ICSOs and their CSO partners to develop a new playbook for solidarity and cooperation, to be able to better respond to the clampdown, to be better prepared and to push back to the boundaries of what civil society restrictions have come to be. Many organizations shy away
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