Western Balkans
For three decades, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom has been active in the countries of the Western Balkans, supporting them on their path to a united Europe. Out of its project office in Belgrade, the foundation coordinates its political and civil society work and consulting in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo and Serbia. Together with domestic partners from politics and civil society, the foundation works specifically on the topics of human and civil rights, digital and open society, democracy and the rule of law, as well as on embracing European values and standards in the framework of the EU integration process.
News
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Uncovering the relevance & importance of media
The study "Media Audit 2023: Relevance and Importance of the Media in Serbia" (in German), which was conducted by the Serbian media monitoring organization CRTA and co-supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, sheds light on the media landscape in Serbia, the media consumption of its population and the trust of Serbian society in the media.
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LGBTIQ-Meet-Up: Hate Speech & Hate Crimes
From 19-21 April, activists and representatives of various human rights organizations, NGOs and think tanks from the Western Balkans came together in Ečka, Serbia to discuss the omnipresent topic of hate crime and hate speech.
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FNF and German-Kosovar Business Association stand up for women’s rights
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) in cooperation with the German-Kosovar Business Association (OEGJK/KDWV) recently published an analysis called “Challenges of Accessing the Labor Market – Middle-Aged Women in Kosovo”. Sustainably addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that involves policy interventions, societal shifts in attitudes towards gender roles, investment in education and training, provision of support services for working parents, and promotion of women’s entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities.
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King Kong vs. Godzilla – the Croatian way
The political wrestling match in Croatia has begun: President Zoran Milanović and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković are facing off in a power struggle. With unconventional manoeuvres and sharp attacks on established politics, they are setting the course for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Who will emerge victorious from this epic duel? And what consequences will this have for Croatia and the EU?
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Ageism in the Kosovar labour market
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in cooperation with the German-Kosovar Business Association (OEGJK-KDWV), for the first time in the history of Kosovo prepared a study on “Challenges of Accessing the Labour Market. Middle-aged women in Kosovo”, which is available for free.
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EU membership negotiations: Europe is ours!
On 21 March, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The decision came after Bosnian and Herzegovinian authorities met the relevant requirements set forth by the European Commission, paving the way for a new dimension in relations between BiH and the European Union (EU).
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Showdown in Zagreb
On March 15, President Zoran Milanović shocked the Croatian public twice: firstly, when he postponed the parliamentary elections to April 17, a Wednesday. Just hours later, the president lashed out against the corruption practices of the permanently ruling HDZ and announced - still as a president - his candidacy as prime minister in a "government of national salvation".