Norway is intensifying its strategic engagement in the Western Balkans through targeted support for civil society development and media freedom. As part of its flagship regional initiative, the SMART Balkans project, implemented by a consortium led by the Center for Promotion of Civil Society (CPCD) and funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a €17 million budget (2022–2026), has so far delivered 56 training sessions involving 1,177 civil society representatives from six countries. Recent sessions focused on digital infrastructure and data security, aligning with the project’s broader objective to strengthen CSO resilience, policy impact, and regional cooperation. In parallel, Norway has announced an additional €2.55 million in funding to bolster media freedom and journalist safety across Europe, with €1.53 million earmarked specifically for the Western Balkans. The initiative, to be implemented by the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), responds to escalating threats against independent journalism, including harassment and violence targeting journalists, especially women and vulnerable groups. These combined efforts reflect Norway’s donor strategy of reinforcing democratic infrastructure through locally grounded support for civil society and independent media.
Source: Royal Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade