News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Five EU Member States- Austria, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia have proposed a gradual, merit-based integration of Western Balkan countries into the EU Single Market, aiming to maintain enlargement momentum and strengthen the region’s alignment with the European Union. According to the proposal, candidate countries could progressively access additional EU programmes and policy areas
Read more →The Basic court in Montenegro has rejected a lawsuit filed by Andrej Vučić, brother of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, against the media outlet Vijesti over its reporting on Sky ECC communications connected to ongoing organized crime investigations. The court found that the journalists acted with due professional care, that the reporting was based on material
Read more →CSOs in North Macedonia are calling on Members of Parliament not to support proposed amendments to the Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games, warning that the changes could seriously undermine the financial sustainability of organisations providing essential support to vulnerable communities. Organisations including the Network for Protection against Discrimination, the Gender Equality Platform,
Read more →A newly adopted proposal in Romania to amend the Law on Associations and Foundations is raising serious concerns among CSOs over growing restrictions on freedom of association and privacy. The draft law, approved by the Senate on 18 May, would require associations and foundations to publicly disclose donor identities and introduces severe sanctions, including suspension
Read more →Recent political developments in Slovenia are raising growing concerns among CSOs over increasing hostility, intimidation, and political pressure targeting independent civic actors. Following the March 2026 parliamentary elections, parties involved in coalition negotiations, particularly the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), have renewed narratives portraying CSOs as politically biased and misusing public funds. Proposed parliamentary inquiries into
Read more →Growing concerns over media freedom and impunity in Serbia have intensified following a court ruling ordering the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation to pay more than one million RSD in damages in a defamation case brought by individuals previously acquitted of the 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija. The ruling followed a public statement by the Foundation
Read more →In its 2026 contribution to the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report, Civil Society Europe warns of a continued shrinking of civic space across the EU, with growing restrictions targeting freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the right to protest. The contribution highlights that restrictive trends are reinforced both at national and EU levels, contributing
Read more →Concerns are growing in Serbia over proposed amendments to the Law on Public Order and Peace that would extend its application to the digital sphere, including social media platforms. The draft foresees sanctions for online insults, offensive behaviour, and other activities already regulated in physical public spaces, treating social networks as a form of public
Read more →A new regional report developed under the Digital Democracy Initiative explores the growing pressures facing CSOs across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, from shrinking civic space and financial instability to digital security threats, disinformation, and rapid technological change. Developed by Metamorphosis Foundation, TechSoup, and CIVICUS, the analysis draws on research and interviews conducted across 13
Read more →A new report by Peace Direct warns that deep cuts to international aid funding, including the dismantling of USAID in 2025, are accelerating a major crisis across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding sectors. Based on consultations with more than 400 activists, peacebuilders, and civil society actors from the Global South, the report argues that the current
Read more →The European Commission has released a new package of funding under the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, allocating €49 million to Albania, €44.2 million to Montenegro, and €65.7 million to North Macedonia. The disbursement follows the Commission’s positive assessment of reform progress in areas including business competitiveness, innovation, education, and digitalisation. Part
Read more →Growing concerns are emerging over the future of EU support for civil society after reports revealed that several established pro-European think tanks and advocacy organisations have lost operating grants under the European Commission’s CERV programme. Organisations such as the European Policy Centre, the Jacques Delors Institute, and the Robert Schuman Foundation are among those affected,
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