News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Marking the first year of the Reporting Democracy initiative, BIRN’s Democracy After Coronavirus report highlights the key “signals to watch” as the political and social consequences of the coronavirus crisis come screeching into view. Democracy After Coronavirus seeks to examine the political implications of the pandemic. The report presents 7 significant trends likely to have
Read more →A new policy brief, prepared by the regional WeBER initiative, explores the approaches of public administrations in the Western Balkans in regards to the COVID-19 crisis. The brief presents the quality of communication and implementation of the measures taken by the governments of the region in responding to the pandemic. It argues that streamlined and
Read more →The paper discusses the nexus between the EU pre-accession conditionality and membership obligations to guarantee respect for the rule of law as a founding value of the EU, common to the member states. It examines how the EU’s rule of law promotion in the accession process converges with and potentially inspires the progressive EU articulation
Read more →CIVICUS published the ninth edition of its annual report, tracking civil society action on the significant trends that impact civil society. The report presents findings from the CIVICUS Monitor, that follow the conditions for civil society in 196 countries. It reviews and analyses leading events of 2019, exploring activism on the climate crisis; civic action
Read more →Each year at the UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF), several countries report to other Member States, UN Agencies, and the Major Groups, as well as other stakeholders on the status of implementation and achievement of the SDGs at the national level. This reporting is based on Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), where countries are expected
Read more →The Western Balkans are facing significant economic and social consequences due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The fragile economies, underdeveloped healthcare systems, and strained state-society relations struggle to cope with the effects of extended lockdowns. The article indicates that the region’s response to the Covid-19 crisis embodied two specific things. Firstly, the EU enlargement process has
Read more →After Freedom House “Nations in Transit” report placed Serbia in the category of a hybrid regime, 7 CSOs called on the Government to launch a severe societal dialogue on the state and the future of democracy in the country, as well as work hard towards ensuring the conditions for the improvement of democracy and media
Read more →To demonstrate transparent and accountable advocacy, BCSDN has prepared its Advocacy Platform towards the EU which outlines our key objectives, the reasoning, and the change we want to see in EU’s policy towards the civil society in the enlargement countries. The document is based on the extensive experience of the network on the issue and
Read more →The second issue of the BCSDN regional overview on COVID-19 in the Balkans – The State of CSOs, their Involvement in the Crisis Response & State, and Donor Support – presents the uncertainties and difficulties CSOs in the region have been faced with, while also contributing to fill the gaps and respond to the increased
Read more →The Western Balkans Summit in Zagreb had been considered one of the main events of the Croatian Council Presidency, aimed at gathering the leaders of the EU and the region to discuss the Western Balkans path and the future towards EU. Due to the Corona crisis outbreak, the EU WB Summit took place online on
Read more →As the role and the opinion of the civil society are essential for progress on topics and values at the very core of the EU, the EESC published declaration as a contribution to the political leaders participating in the Western Balkans Summit. We are glad and enthusiastic that the opinion voices concerns raised by BCSDN
Read more →The report states that all countries across the world were faced with similar problems, such as assaults on judicial independence, threats against civil society and the media, manipulation of electoral frameworks, etc. The report criticizes Serbia, Montenegro, and Hungary for falling democratic principles, identifying them as ‘hybrid regimes.’ The report also indicates that there is
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