News Item

Defending civic space in the Balkans

FRA took part in an online meeting on 9 November on defending civic space in the Balkans. The Balkan Civil Society Development Network organised the event.

Discussions focused on recent threats to civic space in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These included re-criminalising defamation and a foreign agents law which targets foreign-funded civil society organisations.

The meeting discussed ways forward. Suggestions included raising awareness on the issue, building alliances, learning from organisations in other countries with similar challenges, strengthening the connecting with organisations’ constituencies, the need for more focused support by donors for civil society under pressure, and the need for sustainability and resilience of civil society and their work.