News and updates from BCSDN and the region
For years, BCSDN has been following the EU’s approach in supporting civil society in the Enlargement countries and advocating for civil society to be recognized and adequately supported as a competent partner in the EU enlargement process. We have regarded the Guidelines for EU Support to Civil Society in Enlargement Countries, 2014-2020 as a key
Read more →Over 80 CSOs from Kosovo have sent an open letter to French President Macron, calling upon the French Presidency of the EU Council to solidify Union footprint in the Western Balkans and to usher the European enlargement into a new era, by ending the isolation of Kosovo citizens and opening accession talks for Albania and
Read more →As the pandemic heightened the crisis of democracy in the Balkans, and the effects of the Ukraine war are yet to be seen in the region, it is evident that our societies face a turning point for their democratic development. The role of the civil society in driving positive change is now important more than
Read more →Media freedom remains a problem in many Balkan states, with journalists working in highly polarised political environments and encountering threats from criminal groups, says Reporters Without Borders’ 2022 World Press Freedom Index. The 2022 edition of the World Press Freedom Index, which assesses the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories, highlights the disastrous
Read more →Titled “A Europe Fit for the Next Generation? “, the 12th edition of The State of the Union took place from 5 to 7 May 2022, focusing on the future of the European Union. Leaders and Experts from all over the world dealt with issues ranging from multilateral governance to sustainability and resilience, democracy and
Read more →The World Bank has published its semi-annual report on recent economic developments and the outlook in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). The edition looks at the economic and social effects of multiple shocks to the region, including the impact of the war in Ukraine and the energy
Read more →BCSDN has extended its research and efforts to further understand the CSOs’ internal environment, practices, and their impact. Below are the available findings from the survey and interviews conducted in 2021 and 2022 as part of this research demonstrating where organizations are vis-a-vis the Istanbul Principles. We also looked at the national Codes from recent
Read more →BCSDN is proudly announcing the publishing of the report “Constituent Led Accountability in the Western Balkans” as part it`s CPDE activities. The current context and the different demands from stakeholders for CSOs to be more accountable are a call to reconsider how CSOs understand and practice accountability and its implications on resilience, trust, and impact.
Read more →All Western Balkan countries remained in the category of hybrid regimes in the newest Nations in Transit report published by the Freedom House last week. Serbia, which was previously the highest-ranking country in the region, dropped to third place, closely behind North Macedonia and Montenegro, which now share the first place in the Western Balkans.
Read more →A group of Western Balkan civil society organizations, members of the Think Balkans project, released a letter of solidarity with Ukraine and called for the immediate stop of the war as well as the prevention of any escalations or spillovers. The CSOs called on the leaders of the countries in the region to strongly resist
Read more →Last week, between the 20th and the 21st of April, our members from Serbia, Civic Initiatives, organized, now traditional conference – PRacka: trends in communications for active citizens. The conference covered many important topics that needed to be brought to the attention of the CSO representatives and taken into account while making plans for conducting
Read more →Organized by the European Policy Institute, a debate titled “Monitoring the Rule of Law for EU Member States and Candidates: Bridging the Gap” was held in Skopje, with the participation of our Executive Director, Ms. Anja Bosilkova Antovska, together with prominent researchers in the field of EU integration and the rule of law in the
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