On 11-13 June in Belgrade, EU TACSO 3 organized the EU Civil Society Forum for the Western Balkans and Türkiye. The event emphasized the need for clear mechanisms for civil society involvement in the Growth Plan, addressing challenges in the enabling environment, diversifying funding, fostering partnerships, and direct engagement with constituencies. BCSDN members’ representatives, including Ms. Simona Mladenovska, BCSDN Policy and Advocacy Officer, participated in the Plenary Session Launch of the 2023 Assessment against the Guidelines and Findings for the Enabling Environment. The findings of the Second Assessment against the DG NEAR Guidelines for EU Support to Civil Society in the Enlargement Region were presented, highlighting that despite a generally supportive legal framework, civil society in BiH and Serbia faces a deteriorating enabling environment, persistent distrust in public funding transparency, and declining cooperation with public institutions. Read more here.
Source: EU TACSO