The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) released its latest policy brief, “The Missing Piece: Why Civic Space Must Be an EU Accession Priority.” Based on findings from the Monitoring Matrix on Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development (MM standards), the brief urgently highlights the severe erosion of democratic standards across the Western Balkans and Türkiye, emphasizing that democratic principles risk existing solely on paper without concrete action.
The policy brief reveals deeply concerning trends, including the systematic shrinking of civic space. Governments in the region are increasingly employing restrictive legislation that classifies foreign-funded organizations as “foreign agents” and criminalizes defamation. These tactics, alongside administrative barriers and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP lawsuits), are being used to silence activists and journalists, posing a significant threat to freedom of expression and undermining crucial checks and balances within these societies. This worrying situation casts serious doubt on the credibility of the EU enlargement process and carries significant negative repercussions. Without a vibrant and active civil society, genuine democratic reforms are unlikely, and governments may deliberately delay necessary changes while limiting the influence of civic actors.
“Civic space in the Balkans is shrinking. Starting today, over the next 3-5 years, the EU needs a strong plan to defend civil society and ensure true democratic progress, not just pretend reforms. The time to build a structured, strategic, and enforceable framework for civic space is now, for the sake of democracy’s future in the Western Balkans and Türkiye, and the EU’s credibility,” underlined by Anja Bosilkova-Antovska, Head of Policy and Advocacy, atthe BCSDN.
To counter these alarming trends, BCSDN strongly urges the European Union to establish the following binding conditions within the enlargement process:
- Establish clear benchmarks for civic space that are enforced to assess progress.
- Integrate Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) into monitoring reforms and accession processes.
- Provide long-term, flexible support for locally led initiatives.
- Link democratic backsliding to financial and political consequences.
The BCSDN underscores that the EU must adopt a more structured, strategic, and urgent approach to safeguard civil society in the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
Political pressures and financial constraints weaken civil society daily, making it vulnerable to harmful foreign (proxy) influences and directly challenging the EU’s credibility in the region.
Examples concerning trends:
Montenegro: In 2023, only 0.23% of the state budget was allocated to CSOs, far short of the legally mandated 0.5%.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: The criminalization of defamation in Republika Srpska has created an environment where journalists can be prosecuted for critical reporting—130 charges were filed under the defamation law in its first year since recriminalization.
Serbia: Investigative journalists uncovering corruption have been targeted by defamation lawsuits, often initiated by government officials or business figures close to political elites.
Türkiye, Albania, Serbia, and Kosovo: The misuse of anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) measures has been used against CSOs. AML and CFT measures have led to more frequent audits, especially for rights-based CSOs and those with foreign funding, increasing bureaucratic burdens and pressure from authorities, deterring funders, and limiting funding flows to CSOs.
North Macedonia: Councils for state-CSO cooperation have been non-functional for nearly three years.
About BCSDN:
The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) is a network of member-based civil society support organizations from the Western Balkans and Türkiye, dedicated to strengthening civil society and promoting a vibrant and enabling environment for its development in the region.
