What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

SPEAK Platform Highlights Rising Digital Rights Violations Across Southeast Europe

Managed by BIRN, the SPEAK platform provides a secure and anonymous channel for reporting digital rights violations across the Western Balkans and neighbouring countries, enabling citizens, journalists, and activists to document illegal surveillance, data misuse, online harassment, and disinformation. Using BIRN’s ECR tool, the platform ensures anonymity while exposing how digital abuses increasingly shape civic

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Aspen Institute New Publication: Structural Change in the Western Balkans

The Aspen Institute has released its new study, capturing key insights and policy recommendations from its October 2025 Tirana conference. The publication analyzes how rapid technological shifts, demographic changes, climate pressures, and geopolitical tensions are reshaping the region’s labor markets and social cohesion. It highlights civil society as a key actor in managing structural change

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North Macedonia: New NGO Law to Strengthen the Civil Society Sector

North Macedonia is advancing a new legal framework for associations and foundations aimed at aligning the sector with EU and Council of Europe standards. The proposed law seeks to strengthen the civil society framework through clearer rules on public support, CSO participation in decision-making, non-profit principles, transparency, and institutional cooperation with public authorities. It also

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Serbia: Student Protests Distance from CSOs to Counter State Smears

In 2025, Serbian student-led protesters intentionally avoided formal links with CSOs to protect their movement’s legitimacy. Following the 2024 Novi Sad station tragedy, organizers rejected NGO cooperation to bypass government-led “foreign agent” narratives and preserve public trust. While some students cited concerns over interference by individual organisations or the presence of GONGOs, the distancing went

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Albania: Rapid EU Accession Raises Concerns Over Democratic Deepening

Albania’s EU accession process accelerated rapidly in 2025, with negotiation clusters opening in quick succession, intergovernmental conferences following closely, and reform delivery periods shrinking. Concerns are growing that accelerated accession may outpace domestic democratic development, leaving transparency, accountability, civic oversight, and media freedom struggling to keep up. Observers note that challenges in media freedom, elections,

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CfP: CoE COMPASS National & Regional Training Courses 2026 (Deadline: 18 January)

Target Group: Regional, national, and local organisations/institutions interested in developing high-quality human rights education (including youth organisations, NGOs, governmental education/youth bodies, and human rights education institutions). Aim: To establish strategic partnerships for developing and implementing national or regional human rights education training courses (EDC/HRE) for youth, in cooperation with the CoE. Countries: CoE member countries

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CfP: North Macedonia – EU Support to Civil Society and Media Organisations & Combating Gender-Based and Domestic Violence (IPA III)( Deadline: 23 January)

Target Group: CSOs and media organisations active across thematic policy sectors, including organisations working on combating gender-based and domestic violence. Aim: To strengthen the role and capacities of civil society and media organisations in North Macedonia, support democratic participation and policy engagement, and contribute to the prevention and combating of gender-based and domestic violence. Countries:

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CfP: Support to Local Media Outlets & CSOs – MEdIA-Lit in the Western Balkans (Deadline: 2 February)

Target Group: Local media outlets and CSOs that: are legal, non-profit entities; hve the media sector included in their statutes;are directly responsible for project preparation and implementation. Aim: To strengthen the professional capacities of journalists, media outlets, and CSOs to promote freedom of expression, access to information, and media pluralism, and to support the production

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CfP: Journalism Partnerships – Cross-Border Media Collaborations (Deadline: 4 February)

Target Group: Consortia of at least 3 partners from 3 different Creative Europe countries, including non-profit, public, and private media outlets (print, online, radio, TV, podcasts), as well as media associations, NGOs, journalistic funds, and training organisations. Aim: To foster cross-border collaborations between news media organisations across Europe, supporting innovative business models, new types of

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