MEMO98
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RasĹĽo KuĹžel

4 minutes

Addressing Common Threats to Democracy in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership Countries

Civil Society Across Borders: Confronting Shared Threats to Democracy in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership

As democratic norms face mounting pressure in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries, MEMO 98 has joined forces with Forum 2000 and other leading organizations to identify shared challenges and strengthen civil society responses. A newly published discussion paper outlines key threats—including rising populism, media repression, and geopolitical manipulation—and marks the first step in a collaborative effort to defend democracy where it is most at risk.

MEMO 98 is honored to be a partner in a new initiative led by the Forum 2000 Foundation aimed at identifying and tackling shared threats to democracy in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries. The joint discussion paper, “First Approach to Identifying the Common Challenges to Democracy”, outlines the fragility of democratic processes across both regions and offers a civil society perspective on ways forward.

This project, supported by the International Visegrad Fund, brings together leading civil society actors, journalists, academics, and democracy support organizations from Central and Eastern Europe to map key vulnerabilities and catalyze collaboration across borders.

#Common Challenges Identified

The paper draws attention to several structural challenges:

  • Civil Society Under Pressure: Undermined by underfunding, limited institutional support, and mistrust, civil society actors struggle to remain resilient. This is compounded by government-sponsored GONGOs, smear campaigns, and in some countries, direct repression.

  • The Rise of Nationalism and Populism: Populist-nationalist forces exploit ethnic tensions and historical grievances to consolidate power, weaken reform efforts, and polarize societies.

  • Geopolitical Tug-of-War: Russia, China, the EU, and NATO exert competing pressures, with Russia in particular using disinformation, energy dependence, and hybrid tactics to destabilize democratic trajectories.

  • Corruption and Weak Institutions: From Azerbaijan to Serbia, entrenched corruption, politicized judiciaries, and oligarchic influence erode the rule of law and enable state capture.

  • Media Freedom Under Attack: State control, economic pressure, and disinformation campaigns severely limit journalistic independence and public trust in media.

  • Socioeconomic Instability: Poverty, inequality, and brain drain exacerbate political disengagement and breed disillusionment with democratic governance.

#Civil Society at the Forefront

Crucially, this initiative emphasizes the agency and responsibility of civil society itself—not just external actors or governments—to push back against democratic backsliding. The project represents a shared commitment to strengthening civic resilience, especially through cross-regional collaboration and the exchange of experience.

MEMO 98’s contribution focuses in particular on media freedom, disinformation, and public trust—areas where our monitoring and advocacy work have been crucial across both regions. We are honored to contribute alongside respected organizations and individuals from Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Albania, and beyond.

#What’s Next?

This discussion paper is the first step. It sets the stage for a more comprehensive position paper, to be published later in 2025, offering concrete recommendations and strategies developed collaboratively with stakeholders across the two regions.

We invite all partners, experts, and civil society actors to engage with this initiative. Your insights will help shape the upcoming policy paper and strengthen our collective efforts to defend and promote democratic governance.

#About the Project

The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. MEMO 98’s involvement in this project reflects our continued commitment to advancing democratic values and civic engagement across Europe’s most vulnerable regions.

📄 Read the full paper here

🤝 Project partners include: