When Speaking Out Comes with a Lawsuit: BCSDN Launches Regional Campaign Against SLAPPs
One lawsuit lands on the table. Then another. And another. Eventually, the person trying to speak is almost hidden behind a wall of legal cases.…
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News and updates from BCSDN and the region
25 Years of BCSDN: Celebrating Our Journey with a New Website
This year, BCSDN marks 25 years since its beginnings — and we are starting the celebrations with the launch of our new website, reflecting both…
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BCSDN to Pilot a Regional Civic Space Early Warning System
BCSDN is launching the Regional Civic Space Early Warning System & Response Mechanism, a 12-month pilot aimed at identifying emerging civic space threats earlier and helping translate existing evidence into timely engagement and response. Across the Western Balkans and Türkiye, pressures on civil society often develop gradually. Restrictive legislation, administrative and financial pressures, intimidation, attacks
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How Far Can Civic Space Deteriorate Before Safeguards Step In? BCSDN Analysis of the 2026 EC RoL Report on Accession Countries
For the third consecutive year, BCSDN analyses the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report Country Chapters for Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia through a civic space lens, comparing the Commission’s findings with evidence from our Monitoring Matrix. The 2026 analysis brings the EC’s findings together with our monitoring to identify key civic space concerns,
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BCSDN Welcomes New Board Member Güneş Engin Karamancı
The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) is pleased to announce the appointment of Güneş Engin Karamancı to its Board. Güneş, who has recently assumed the position of Secretary General at TÜSEV, brings extensive experience in civil society monitoring, legal frameworks, and regional advocacy. She has a long-standing collaboration with BCSDN, having actively contributed to
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Serbia’s Students Are Not Giving Up: When Accountability Meets Resistance
Why do citizens continue to mobilise in Serbia, despite mounting pressureand months of uncertainty? In this op-ed, Alma Mustajbašić from BCSDN member organisation Civic Initiatives…
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Trust and Partnership at the Heart of EU Enlargement: BCSDN Brings Civil Society Priorities to High-Level EESC Conference
On 29 May 2026, BCSDN participated in the EU–Western Balkans Civil Society High-Level Conference, organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Vienna…
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Reclaiming the Civic Front: How Serbia’s Mass Mobilization is Redefining Democratic Resilience in the Western Balkans
Photo: A drone view of demonstrators attending a student-led protest demanding snap parliamentary elections in Belgrade, Serbia on May 23 [Djordje Kojadinovic/Reuters] BELGRADE / SKOPJE…
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BCSDN at ECF General Assembly and 2026 Civic Space Report Launch
In May 2026, BCSDN participated in two important gatherings in Brussels that brought together CSOs, policymakers, and democracy advocates from across Europe to discuss the…
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Shrinking Too Fast? ECF Report Warns on Mounting Pressure on Civic Space in the Western Balkans
BRUSSELS / SKOPJE, May 13, 2026 – The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN), a key partner of the European Civic Forum (ECF), is participating today in the…
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From Evidence to Action: BCSDN Releases 2025 Impact Brochure
BCSDN presents its 2025 Impact Brochure: “Operating in a Constrained Civic Space in the Balkans: From Monitoring to Action and Innovation.“ This publication is as…
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BCSDN Annual Council Meeting 2026: Key Outcomes and Next Steps
BCSDN held its Annual Council Meeting on 28 April 2026, bringing together network’s members and the Executive Office team to adopt key documents and outline…
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