Target group: Students of journalism, public relations, education, law, economy, political science and international relations, police and military academies from the Western Balkans. Countries: Western Balkans Short Description: The Summer School aims to train the selected participants in media literacy skills for increasing applied critical thinking to analyze and evaluate the media to go beyond the surface level of reading to avoid instinctive criteria of objectiveness and correctness. Within the framework of the summer school, participants will learn about disinformation and hybrid threats in the Western Balkans, why is investigative journalism important, what is the genre of reportage and how…
Author: anja
Target group: Individuals or organizations who meet the Call’s criteria are eligible to apply for the award. Countries: Western Balkans Short Description: The Champion of Regional Cooperation Dr Erhard Busek Award is presented to an individual or organization that has contributed notably to advancing regional cooperation in South East Europe, guided by European values and principles. Duration: / Link to more information: Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)
Target group: Leaders that come from public, private, NGO, and academic sectors and offer the participants unique perspectives on how to address corruption and promote transparency. Countries: Worldwide Short Description: Transparency International School on Integrity is an annual state-of-the-art anti-corruption and accountability training for future leaders. The school exposes its participants to the latest developments in the field of anti-corruption and accountability and offers real opportunities to try and implement their ideas in practice. Duration: 20-25 June Link to more information (Transparency School)
Target group: Western Balkans and V4 doctoral students or fellows that hold a doctoral degree (regardless of their current affiliation). Countries: Western Balkans and V4 countries Short Description: The Western Balkans–Visegrad Fellowships allow WB6 citizens to apply for short-term fellowships at V4 research institutions (in Czechia, Poland, Hungary, or Slovakia). Reciprocally, V4 applicants can apply for fellowships at WB6 institutions (in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo*, or Serbia). Duration: 2-10 weeks Link to more information (Western Balkan Fund)
As part of our efforts to provide and promote a more enabling civil society environment, and to inform our audience regularly and effectively about recent civil society developments in the region, we present our periodical civil society updates. Divided into three areas based on our flagship tool, the Monitoring Matrix, our April 2024 report highlights ongoing challenges and progress in areas in basic freedoms, financial sustainability, and government-CSO relations. In this edition, we find that: Basic Freedom Challenges Persist: Delays in legal reforms impacting civil society, rising state interference, and increased obstacles to freedom of expression are noted across the…
April 17, ZOOM In the year of global elections, the developments in Serbia offer valuable lessons for protecting the civic space and democracy in the region and beyond. The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) and Civic Initiatives cordially invite you to our online discussion on Citizen Mobilization Amid Election Irregularities in Serbia, scheduled for April 17th at 11 am CET via Zoom. Although Serbia’s vibrant civil society has been under pressure for years now, recent concerns over manipulated elections have intensified civic activism and increased advocacy at an international level. Some of these activities seem to have yielded results,…
BCSDN’s 18th Annual Council Meeting held in Vienna focused on reviewing past achievements, future plans, and adopting the new BCSDN Strategy 2024-2027. The meeting emphasized the importance of inclusive discussions, supported by Peace Nexus, to enhance monitoring, evidence-based advocacy, and stakeholder awareness. Significant milestones included the effectiveness of the Monitoring Matrix in advocating for an enabling environment for CSOs and expanded outreach efforts. Members discussed ongoing projects, advocacy efforts, and plans for the future. The meeting concluded with appreciation for the Executive Office’s work and members’ dedication, reaffirming BCSDN’s commitment to strengthening civil society and promoting democracy in the Balkans.…
The EU approves membership negotiations with BiH, eight years post-application, following the European Commission’s recognition of BiH’s progress in aligning with EU standards. The president of the European Council, Charles Michel welcomed the decision, affirming BiH’s place in the European family. President of the EC von der Leyen hails historic advancements, including foreign policy alignment and legislative reforms. Despite reservations from some EU members, such as Denmark and the Netherlands, BiH leaders welcomed the decision to open accession talks. EU Ambassador to BiH Sattler praised Bosnia’s efforts, expecting challenging reforms, but promising economic stability and strengthening of the rule of…
RECLAIM, an initiative aiming to counter the EU’s democracy crisis and the increasing global disregard for human rights, launches an EU Law Helpdesk to aid European CSOs combating government efforts to restrict civil society. Autocratic-leaning governments enact laws limiting CSO operations, violating democratic principles. RECLAIM offers legal counseling, assisting in constructing arguments, suggesting procedural avenues, and advocating for cases to reach European institutions. They focus on laws and practices restricting human rights groups, political pluralism, academic freedom, LGBTQI rights, and more. Services are free, with appointments available upon request, supported by background information collection for tailored assistance. Read more here.…
Western Balkans leaders, under the Berlin process, launched the Common Regional Market initiative, centered on the four freedoms and including digital, investment, innovation, and industry policies. The Western Balkan countries undergo different progress and challenges of the Common Regional Market initiative, focusing on the ratification status of mobility agreements. While Montenegro ratified all four agreements, BiH faces obstacles, notably due to the reluctance of Republika Srpska’s authorities to ratify the agreement on Free Movement with ID cards. This reluctance, stemming from political tensions and non-recognition of Kosovo’s independence, hampers citizens’ mobility and isolates BiH further. There is a need for…