News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The European Civic Forum, Civil Society Europe, and Liberties released two papers for establishing a protection mechanism for human rights defenders (HRDs) and CSOs in Europe. The Mapping Paper provides an overview of the existing protection landscape, identifying gaps and challenges faced by HRDs and CSOs, while the Pathways Paper proposes strategies to enhance this
Read more →The document answers key questions and clarifies common misconceptions about the proposed Directive on third-country interest representation. It highlights that the Directive would have failed to detect recent instances of foreign interference, such as Qatargate and Russiagate, and suggests it could negatively impact civic space and academic freedom. The Directive is already being used to
Read more →On October 4, severe floods hit multiple regions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including Jablanica, Tarčin, Kiseljak, Kreševo, and Konjic. The devastation left homes submerged, roads blocked, and bridges destroyed. Many families suffered human and material losses. Rescue efforts are underway, with the EU Civil Protection Mechanism activated, sending teams to the affected areas. BCSDN stands
Read more →From September 16 to 18, 2024, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) hosted an Expert Workshop on Civic Space Monitoring and Protection in Vienna. The workshop gathered experts, practitioners, and civil society representatives to discuss the state of civic space across Europe. Participants exchanged insights on civic space monitoring practices, terminology, and gaps
Read more →After the political party ‘For the Future of Montenegro’ called for a Foreign Agents Law to label NGOs receiving foreign funding as ‘foreign agents,’ a coalition of CSOs, including BCSDN member CRNVO, raised concerns about its potential to undermine human rights and hinder Montenegro’s EU integration. The coalition emphasized that Montenegro’s NGO sector is already regulated
Read more →Liberties has published a gap analysis highlighting the shortcomings of the EU Commission’s rule of law report 2024, arguing that it functions more as a monitoring tool than an effective means of addressing democratic backsliding. While the fifth report introduced improvements, such as including enlargement countries, the analysis shows that many Member States, including Germany,
Read more →On October 6, the Albanian tabloid “Prapaskena” launched a smear campaign against Blerjana Bino, Executive Director of the Centre for Science and Innovation for Development (SciDev), accusing her of producing a biased media freedom report favoring former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. The report, created by SciDev and Osservatorio Balkani Caucaso Transeuropa, analyzed the Albanian media
Read more →In a recent interview for Oštro, Bojana Pavlović from the Serbian investigative portal KRIK discussed the strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPPs) filed against her and editor Stevan Dojčinović by the Judge Dušanka Đorđević. The lawsuit stems from KRIK’s project “Prosudi ko sudi,” which profiles over 50 judges involved in criminal and corruption cases, including
Read more →On October 7, violent anti-government protests erupted in Tirana in response to the imprisonment of opposition MP Ervin Salianji. Protesters threw Molotov cocktails at key government buildings, including the prime minister’s office and the headquarters of the ruling Socialist Party. Clashes with police occurred outside parliament, where law enforcement used tear gas to control the
Read more →As part of Global Accountability Week (GAW) 2024, we are pleased to invite you to a regional event to discuss the growing concern how accountability is used as a premises to restrict the civic space and portray civil society as foreign agents attempting to destabilize the country. This two-part event will explore practices in Hungary,
Read more →The 2023 #ShiftThePower Global Summit in Bogotá underscored the need for a paradigm shift in how NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs) are funded and supported. Traditional transactional relationships between funders and grantees are being challenged, as organizations push for flexible, unrestricted funding and non-monetary support. Key issues explored include the importance of strategic planning, the
Read more →On the European Day of Foundations and Donors, Philea and Impact Europe presented recommendations for policymakers to enhance impact investments and collaboration. They emphasize the need for diverse actors to address complex societal challenges, advocating for the use of private, public, and philanthropic resources. The recommendations, launched in the European Parliament, call for enabling impact
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