BCSDN members Partners Albania and MCIC published their 2023 reports on the civil society environment, highlighting key civil society challenges in Albania and North Macedonia. In terms of basic freedoms, CSOs in both countries operate in an environment where freedom of association is legally guaranteed and practiced. However, Albania faces setbacks with delays in operationalizing the electronic registry, which hampers transparency and efficiency. Meanwhile, N. Macedonia maintains a generally supportive environment with room for improvement. Financial sustainability is a critical issue in both countries. Albania’s complex VAT exemption procedures for foreign-funded projects have created significant administrative burdens, complicating operations. In N. Macedonia, state funding remains scarce and unreliable, with no progress on reforming the funding framework or updating the Law on Donations and Sponsorships. CSO-government cooperation is similarly weak in both contexts. Albania struggles with the incomplete Partnership Platform for European Integration and delays in implementing its Government Policy Road Map, while in N. Macedonia, the continued inactivity of the Council for Cooperation among Government and Civil Society undermines systematic dialogue and trust. Find the 2023 MM Report for Albania here, and for N. Macedonia here.
Source: Partners Albania/ MCIC/ BCSDN