What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

CfA: Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence 2025 (Deadline: 18 March 2025)

Target group: Journalists from Central and South Eastern Europe. Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia. Short Description: The Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence, organized by Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), is awarding ten fellowships to journalists with compelling story ideas that require on-the-ground reporting. The program emphasizes

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BCSDN: Fallout of the US Funding Freeze Puts Western Balkans Civil Society Under Attack

The U.S. administration’s 90-day freeze on foreign aid, including USAID funding, has severely impacted civil society in the Western Balkans. The decision has disrupted critical programs supporting independent media, marginalized groups, economic competitiveness, and citizen participation. Beyond the immediate financial fallout, the freeze has emboldened nationalist and right-wing actors to escalate attacks on civil society.

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Western Balkans Policy Dialogues in Brussels: How do We Get to Enlargement that Delivers? (25 February, 15:30h CET)

BCSDN and Think for Europe Network (TEN) are organizing the Western Balkans Civil Society Policy Dialogues in Brussels. This high-level event, hosted and moderated by the European Policy Center (EPC), will bring together leading CSOs, policy experts, EU officials, and representatives from Member States to explore the evolving challenges and opportunities in the EU enlargement

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EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos Responds to the Political Crisis in Serbia

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos addressed concerns about Serbia’s political situation in both an open letter and a speech at the European Parliament plenary debate. In the letter, she responded to Serbian academia, political representatives, and CSOs, stressing the need to respect freedom of assembly. She condemned violence against demonstrators, urged a full investigation

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Commission Directorate-General to Focus on Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood

As of 1 February, the European Commission has launched the Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST) to oversee enlargement policy, accession talks, and regional cooperation. It will manage communication on enlargement benefits, as well as financial and technical assistance for candidate countries and Eastern Neighbourhood states, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus. DG ENEST

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Serbia: Mass Protests, Political Turmoil, and Demands for Government Accountability

The Novi Sad railway tragedy in November, which claimed 15 lives, has triggered Serbia’s largest protests since 2000. What began as outrage over safety failures quickly evolved into a broader movement demanding justice, electoral reform, and increased education funding, with universities closed for months. BCSDN member Civic Initiatives and other CSOs have severed ties with

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North Macedonia: Country Consultations on IPA III Civil Society Facility & Media Support Call (2024–2025)

The European Union Delegation in North Macedonia has launched consultations with civil society and other stakeholders to define priority topics for the upcoming calls for proposals under the IPA III Civil Society and Media Support Instrument for 2024-2025. The calls for proposals will align with the EU’s strategic approach for the region and focus on

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BiH: Federation Parliament Adopts Domestic Violence Law, Femicide Not on Agenda

Bosnia’s Federation House of Representatives unanimously adopted a new Law on Protection against Domestic Violence and Violence against Women. The law strengthens police powers, allowing them to intervene swiftly, detain suspects for 48 hours, and use electronic monitoring devices on offenders with restraining orders. This law aims to align with the Council of Europe’s Convention

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Montenegro: Students to Block Roads, Demanding Officials’ Dismissal Over Mass Shooting

Montenegrin students from the group “Where Tomorrow?” are organizing daily road blockages in protest over the government’s failure to address their demands following the mass shooting in Cetinje on January 1. The students are calling for the resignation of Minister of Interior Danilo Saranovic and Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Becic, who oversee security. Despite their

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Turkey: Rights Groups Protest as Press Freedom Violations Surge

40 Turkish and international organizations, including the International Press Institute, Freedom House, the European Federation of Journalists, and Turkey’s Media and Law Studies Association, have issued a joint letter protesting increasing press freedom violations. The letter condemns the systematic use of judicial control measures—such as house arrests and travel bans—to silence independent journalists. In January

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