Balkan Civil Society Development Network

13/08/2026

Civic space is protected by formal safeguards. But how effective are they in practice?

The 2026 EC Rule of Law Report captures important civic space concerns across Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. BCSDN’s Monitoring Matrix complements this picture, revealing additional pressures and implementation gaps affecting civil society in practice.

Key findings:
🔹 Fundamental freedoms continue to face implementation gaps.
🔹 Legal and digital pressures increasingly affect activists and CSOs.
🔹 Civil society funding remains fragile.
🔹 Formal participation does not always translate into meaningful influence.

Together, the findings show how different pressures can accumulate and progressively restrict civic space – and why earlier, preventive action matters.

BCSDN calls for stronger monitoring, meaningful civil society participation and clearer follow-up, alongside safeguards that work effectively in practice.

🔗 Read the full analysis: https://balkancsd.net/how-far-can-civic-space-deteriorate-before-safeguards-step-in-bcsdn-analysis-of-the-2026-ec-rule-of-law-report-on-accession-countries/

Partners Albania for Change and Development, Македонски центар за меѓународна соработка - МЦМС, Centar za promociju civilnog društva, Centar Za Razvoj NVO, Gradjanske Inicijative, KCSF

17/07/2026

📢 How is civic space evolving across the Western Balkans? What does the European Commission identify as the key rule of law challenges affecting civil society?
Today, the European Commission published the 2026 Rule of Law Report, including the country chapters for Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
🔍 The reports highlight continued concerns in the enlargement countries related to:
▪️ Civic space and fundamental freedoms – including increasing pressure on CSOs and journalists, smear campaigns, SLAPPs, political interference, and challenges affecting freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and access to information;
▪️ Meaningful civil society participation – uneven public consultation practices, limited institutional dialogue, and insufficient involvement of civil society in policy development, implementation and monitoring;
▪️ An enabling environment for civil society – including financial sustainability challenges, transparency in public funding, media independence and pluralism, and the effective implementation of legal and institutional safeguards protecting democratic participation.
📈 While progress is recognised in several reform areas, the reports underline that protecting civic space and ensuring meaningful civil society participation remain essential for democratic governance and a credible EU accession process.
📊 As the regional network behind the Monitoring Matrix, will soon publish a comparative analysis of the European Commission's findings alongside our own regional evidence and trends on civic space across the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
📄 Read the 2026 Rule of Law Report here:

European Commission 2026 Rule of Law report finds overall progress in most EU countries, while some challenges persist. Learn more.

16/07/2026

⏰ 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟎:𝟎𝟎 𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐓❗
The EESC - European Economic and Social Committee High-Level Debate on EU Enlargement starts today at 10:00 CEST.

⏰ 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟎:𝟎𝟎 𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐓❗
The EESC - European Economic and Social Committee High-Level Debate on EU Enlargement starts today at 10:00 CEST.

For Albania and the Western Balkans, this discussion is particularly significant as the region continues its path towards European integration.

Ms. Juliana Hoxha, Director of Partners Albania, will join Panel II: ❞𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐨-𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐔 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬,❞ alongside fellow Enlargement Candidate Members and EESC representatives to discuss how inclusive reforms and active civil society engagement can help turn convergence into tangible benefits for citizens, businesses and workers across the enlargement region.

📅 Today | 16 July
🕙 10:00–12:00 CEST

📄 Discover the programme and speakers: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/high-level-debate-eu-enlargement/programme
💻 Watch the event live: https://live.eesc.europa.eu/play/?id=841

Don't miss this important conversation on the future of EU enlargement. 🇪🇺

15/07/2026

📢 Tomorrow, EESC - European Economic and Social Committee will host its High-level Debate on EU Enlargement 2026, bringing together EU institutions, governments and organised civil society to discuss the future of EU enlargement.

📅 16 July 2026
🕙 10:00–12:00 CEST

🎤 The debate will be opened by EESC President Séamus Boland and Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, with discussions focusing on democratic resilience, socio-economic convergence, the enlargement process and the role of civil society.

🤝 The debate will also feature Enlargement Candidate Members (ECMs), including members Juliana Hoxha (Partners Albania) and Dren Puka (KCSF), who will bring civil society perspectives from the Western Balkans to the discussion.
Partners Albania for Change and Development, KCSF

https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/high-level-debate-eu-enlargement-2026

14/07/2026

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14/07/2026

🏛️ Civil society is essential to protecting democracy, fundamental rights and equality. Without adequate funding, it cannot respond to growing challenges.

📢 30 European civil society networks, including , have called on the Council of the European Union to strengthen support for civil society through the AgoraEU programme in the next EU long-term budget.

Specifically, the joint call urges the EU to:
🔹 Increase the overall AgoraEU budget.
🔹 Safeguard funding for the CERV+ programme.

📊 With demand for CERV funding far exceeding available resources, many high-quality initiatives remain unfunded.

⚖️ At a time of shrinking civic space, growing disinformation and increasing pressure on civil society, Europe must strengthen—not weaken—its investment in democracy, fundamental rights and equality.

🔗 Read the joint letter: https://civic-forum.eu/publications/open-letter/joint-letter-dont-cut-europes-investment-in-democracy

Together with IPPF EN and 30 other European networks, we have written to leading figures in the Council of the European Union, urging them to increase the AgoraEU budget and saveguard CERV+ funding in the EU’s next long-term budget.

10/07/2026

🚀 Be part of the EU's new flagship platform for civil society!

📢 As a key deliverable of the EU Strategy for Civil Society, the European Commission has launched a Call for Expressions of Interest for the new Civil Society Platform.

🤝 The Platform will provide a permanent and structured framework for dialogue between the European Commission and civil society, strengthening engagement on democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights, equality and civic space.

💡 Members will help co-create the Platform's agenda, identify emerging challenges, exchange knowledge and good practices, review progress in implementing the EU Strategy for Civil Society, and contribute to shaping future EU policies affecting civil society.

🌍 Reflecting a shared European civic space, the Platform is also open to organisations from EU enlargement countries, with two seats specifically reserved for organisations active in candidate and potential candidate countries.

⏰ Deadline: 3 August 2026.

🔗 Learn more and apply:

https://commission.europa.eu/topics/human-rights/your-fundamental-rights-eu/strategy-strengthen-application-charter-fundamental-rights-eu/thriving-civic-space-protect-fundamental-rights_en?prefLang=es&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBEwQzFjTThuTll0Rm1RTHlBYnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4vHy3d7oIM95u6Jp6Zq5s-N10K_mJP3Ma84OA2u7yCfxjoGGG61hpn1Tw7Qw_aem_pzNkI1KWzl-l8bH0M50Jug

09/07/2026

📌🖊️A clear message from the European Parliament: Serbia's EU future depends on real democratic reforms.

In its newly adopted Resolution on Serbia, the European Parliament stresses that progress towards EU membership requires not only adopting reforms, but implementing them effectively in practice.

The Resolution calls for tangible progress on:
• the rule of law and judicial independence;
• free and fair elections, media freedom and fundamental rights;
• the fight against corruption and organised crime;
• stronger democratic institutions and closer alignment with the EU's foreign and security policy, while expressing concern over Serbia's continued close relations with Russia and deepening cooperation with China.

❗️MEPs also underline the importance of meaningful engagement with civil society as a key partner in advancing democratic reforms.

🔗 Read the European Parliament's press release:

Serbia’s government continues to say EU membership is its strategic goal, but MEPs warn that this is often not reflected in its actions.

08/07/2026

❗️📄Following the 2 July protests in Tirana over the proposed luxury resort development in the protected Vjosa-Narta area, 24 civil society organisations in Albania have issued a joint public statement calling for the protection of the right to peaceful assembly, respect for the rights of detained persons, and an independent and impartial investigation into allegations of excessive use of force and ill-treatment during and after the protests. Read the full statement 👉 https://shorturl.at/ik2AF

📢 Reagim Publik i Organizatave të Shoqërisë Civile për garantimin e të drejtave të protestuesve, të drejtën e mbrojtjes dhe hetimin e pavarur e efektiv të pretendimeve për keqtrajtim gjatë dhe pas protestës së 2 korrikut 2026.

24 organizata të shoqërisë civile kanë publikuar një deklaratë të përbashkët, duke i bërë thirrje institucioneve përgjegjëse të garantojnë të drejtën për protestë, të respektojnë të drejtat e personave të ndaluar dhe të zhvillojnë një hetim të pavarur, të paanshëm dhe efektiv mbi pretendimet për përdorim joproporcional të forcës dhe keqtrajtim gjatë dhe pas protestës së 2 korrikut 2026.

Në deklaratë, organizatat kërkojnë ruajtjen e provave, kryerjen e ekspertimeve të pavarura mjeko-ligjore, bashkëpunimin e plotë të institucioneve me organet e hetimit dhe shmangien e deklaratave publike që mund të paragjykojnë procesin hetimor ose të stigmatizojnë protestuesit, avokatët dhe mbrojtësit e të drejtave të njeriut. Ato theksojnë se çdo akt dhune është i papranueshëm, por nuk mund të justifikojë keqtrajtimin nga autoritetet, ndërsa çdo pretendim për shkelje të të drejtave duhet të hetohet nga organet e pavarura të drejtësisë.

📄Lexoni këtu Deklaratën e Plotë dhe listën e organizatave mbështetëse: https://shorturl.at/ik2AF

08/07/2026

📢 The next takes place on 15–16 July, bringing together EESC members to discuss key EU priorities.

The agenda includes a high-level debate on EU enlargement with EU Comissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, alongside discussions on migration, gender equality, anti-racism and quality jobs.

🔗 Learn more: link.europa.eu/QYBN34

Our next is just around the corner! ✨

On 15-16 July, our members will gather to exchange views, discuss key challenges, and strengthen cooperation across Europe.

On the agenda:
📄 opinions on anti-racism strategies, European migration and asylum, gender equality, housing construction and energy storage;
🗣️ a high-level debate on EU enlargement with Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement at the European Commission;
💼 discussions on strengthening protection for workers and quality jobs.

Find out more information here → link.europa.eu/QYBN34