News and updates from BCSDN and the region
On 16 April, the European Fund for the Balkans marked its 10th anniversary by publishing this Declaration which calls both EU and WB to use the positive momentum regained in 2018 and build an alliance for the future of Europe by setting the ground for more credible, open and sincere relationship that would result in
Read more →Some of the most influential CSOs from Montenegro suggested to the European Commission to “seriously consider” the activation of the balance clause, that is, to freeze negotiations on Montenegro’s membership with the EU. A paper prepared by Institut Alternativa, Center for Civic Education, the Center for development of NGOs (CRNVO) and the Center for Monitoring
Read more →Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party signaled it could push on with legislation to crack down on organizations promoting migrant rights as soon as parliament reconvenes after Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s sweeping election victory on the 8th of April. A bill of the so-called “Stop Soros” package, submitted to parliament before the election, would impose a 25
Read more →In 2018, Nations in Transit registered the most score declines in the project’s 23-year history: 19 of the 29 countries had declines in their overall Democracy Scores. For the second year in a row, there are more Consolidated Authoritarian Regimes than Consolidated Democracies. While Serbia’s score declined for the fourth straight year, threatening its status
Read more →On 20 March, the Slovenian Parliament approved the new NGO Law. The new law, among other things, uniquely identifies NGOs and removes past confusion and dispersion in more than 20 laws, finally eliminating discrimination and enabling all non-governmental organizations to obtain the public benefit status under the same conditions, while also determining some basic measures
Read more →Routine extensions of the state of emergency in Turkey have led to profound human rights violations against hundreds of thousands of people – from arbitrary deprivation of the right to work and to freedom of movement, to torture and other ill-treatment, arbitrary detentions and infringements of the rights to freedom of association and expression, according
Read more →Digitalisation is one of the key and most dynamic mega-trends influencing development today. The Romanian NGDO Platform – FOND together with CONCORD Europe are currently conducting a research on digitalisation and development with the aim to better understand how the future of development cooperation will be shaped in the digital era and to design possible
Read more →Development cooperation actors must ensure human rights-based approaches (HRBA) particularly in working to attain the SDGs or programmes and projects risk resulting to have grave and consequences including the loss of shelter, hindrances to livelihood opportunities, and health hazards – according to the latest report published by the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness (CPDE). The
Read more →Within the CONCORD HUB3 Spring Meeting in Brussels, which took place this week, the 13th of March was devoted to Promoting civil society space. The event, jointly organized by CONCORD Europe, BCSDN and Fond Romania/Black Sea NGO Forum, was an effort of European civil society development organizations to build a platform for discussions, exchanges and
Read more →Each year the CIVICUS State of Civil Society Report examines the major events that involve and affect civil society around the world. As 2017 gave way to 2018, the battle lines seemed more starkly drawn and our societies more divided than ever: on one side are those who strive to make democracy real, encouraging debate,
Read more →The European Parliament adopted the resolution of 1 March 2018 on the situation of fundamental rights in the EU in 2016. In its resolution, the EP asserts that neither national sovereignty nor subsidiarity can justify or legitimise the systematic refusal on the part of a Member State to comply with the fundamental values of the
Read more →World Report 2018 summarizes key human rights issues in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide, drawing on events from late 2016 through November 2017. The surge of authoritarian populists appears less inevitable than it did a year ago. There seemed no stopping a series of politicians around the globe who claimed to speak for
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