Space for civil society with deteriorating trends, says Balkan Civil Society Development Network report

The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN), a member of which is the Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF), has published the 11th annual report of the Monitoring Matrix on creating a favourable environment for civil society development, offering a detailed and factual analysis of the state of fundamental freedoms in the Western Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, North, Serbia, Albania) and Turkey for 2024.

In the report there are concerns of worsening democracy, alarms for a trend of narrowing civic space across the region, coupled with administrative barriers, hostile political discurs towards Civil Society Organisations ( OSC, and increased pressure on journalists and activists.

Main findings at regional level:

Implementation of basic freedoms among the main challenges: Although the legal framework in most countries guarantees the right to organize, rally, and freedom of expression, their implementation continues to be seriously violated. Civil society organisations face complicated procedures for registration, disproportional financial and administrative checks, as well as divisive political discus and denigrating ʹ, including charges such as <x0 foreign”, especially in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Turkey.

Financial stability remains a challenge: Civil society organisations continue to face serious difficulties due to a lack of access to different sources of financing, yet undeveloped and fragmented tax systems, as well as public support often characterized by politicisation and lack of transparency.

Unstable co-operation between governments and the OSCs: Although many countries have adopted formal strategies for civil society development, the true participation of OSCs in policymaking remains superficial and untransparent. Consultative processes are often hasty or superficial, while independent and critical organisations are often overlooked by favouring actors close to the government.

Key findings for Kosovo:

Public funding lack of transparency for OSCs: The central government platform for public financing of civil society organisations in the Republic of Kosovo has failed to fulfil its function as transparent and accounting mechanisms, marking continued decline in functionality. The report notes that differences in reporting of over 5m euros have been recorded, raising serious concerns about regulation, transparency and accountability for public money.

Changes in the legal environment for OSCs: As a positive development, the Assembly of Kosovo has adopted the new Law for Prohibition of Money Exploration and Terrorism Financing, through which it has removed civil society organisations from the list of reporting subjects pending review by the Constitutional Court by marking a step towards bringing international standards and potentially an easing of bank barriers to the OSEC. The recent amendments to the Law on Association Freedom at the NGO have extended the legal deadline for reviewing NGO registration applications from 30 to 45 days, which was only too long compared to international standards and deadlines that apply to countries in the region for NGO registration processes, thus setting some legal barriers that make it difficult to exercise the right to be associated through the NGO.

Government Co-operation O SC remains limited: While there are strategic documents for civil society development, the real participation of OSCs in policymaking often remains procedural and superficial.