What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

Foreign Agents’ Laws vs. Dynamic Accountability: How CSOs Can Defend Civic Space 

The BCSDN virtual event “Weaponizing Accountability: Countering Foreign Agents’ Laws and Narratives” convened experts from Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Western Balkans on November 6-8 to address restrictive foreign agents’ laws stigmatizing CSOs. Day 1 highlighted strategies to counter government-imposed narratives labeling CSOs as foreign threats, while Day 2 focused on building civil society

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New Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos Pledges for Merit-Based Accession Process

During her European Parliament hearing, Commissioner-designate for Enlargement Marta Kos outlined her plans for EU enlargement. She emphasized that despite new geopolitical pressures, the process will remain merit-based. Kos stressed the importance of political commitment, especially in areas like justice reform and anti-corruption, while warning against stagnation or backsliding. She also highlighted the EU’s role

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Civil Society Presents Key Recommendations to Strengthen the Berlin Process

At the Berlin Process Summit in October, the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum (CSF) presented policy recommendations to leaders from the Western Balkans, EU, and UK. Developed by over 115 civil society organizations across seven thematic groups, these recommendations focused on pressing issues: EU integration, reconciliation, gender diversity, energy, climate change, environmental protection, and

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BCSDN Virtual Event: Countering Foreign Agents Laws and Narratives with Dynamic Accountability [November 6th & 8th, 14h CET]

Foreign agents’ laws, already widespread across Europe, are now encroaching on the Western Balkans and Turkey. How can civil society effectively respond to the rising trend? Can dynamic accountability approaches counter harmful narratives? BCSDN is hosting a two-day virtual event, on November 6th and 8th at 14h CET to explore these pressing questions. During the

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2024 EU Enlargement Package Released, BCSDN’s In-Depth Analysis on Key Civil Society Findings for Western Balkans Coming Soon!

The European Commission’s latest Enlargement Package evaluates the progress of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Türkiye on their EU accession paths. Civil society in the Western Balkans operates in diverse conditions, from largely enabling in Kosovo, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, to challenging in Albania and constrained in

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BCSDN at EESC Enlargement High-Level Forum: Shaping the EU’s Path with Civil Society and Core Democratic Values

EESC hosted the Enlargement High-Level Forum in Brussels on October 24, where over 140 representatives from civil society, governments, and EU institutions, including BCSDN members’ representatives, as a part ECMI initiative discussed the critical role of civil society in the EU accession process. The forum emphasized a collaborative approach for a “values-driven” enlargement, aligning candidate

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CPCD’s 2023 Monitoring Matrix Report on Civil Society Environment in BiH: Increasing Threats to Fundamental Freedoms

BCSDN member, Center for Civil Society Promotion (CPCD), published the 2023 report on the civil society environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The report outlines both enabling aspects and critical challenges faced by CSOs. While CSOs maintain certain freedoms, such as the ability to register and operate with access to foreign funding, numerous obstacles persist. Key

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Carnegie: All Is Not Well with EU Enlargement to the Western Balkans

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

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BCSDN Leads High-Level Advocacy Visit to Brussels in Response to Serbia’s Crackdown on Civic Freedoms

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

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Civic Initiatives Updated Report: Weaponizing Influence- How Russia’s and China’s Soft Power Clashes Serbia’s Civil Society using Lithium Controversies

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

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