The European Civic Forum’s 2024 Civic Space report highlights concerning trends in civic freedoms across the EU and Western Balkans. Despite EU commitments to democracy, there is a decline in civic space, with restrictions on protests and civil society initiatives. The report notes challenges such as legal harassment, funding limitations, and a lack of dialogue between governments and civil society. The report on the Western Balkans covered by BCSDN reports on shrinking civic space, legislative threats, and attacks on activists, particularly in Serbia and BiH. It details legislative initiatives aimed at stigmatizing CSOs and curbing dissent, including reintroducing criminal defamation penalties and ‘foreign agents’ laws. Across the region, SLAPP cases targeting journalists and activists have risen, posing a further threat to freedom of expression. Access the full report here.
Source: European Civic Forum, BCSDN