Updates

A new governmental Action Plan paves the way for more accessible and inclusive civic engagement mechanisms, aiming to embed civil society deeper into local and national decision-making.

Experts argue the bill could infringe on freedom of expression and lacks the necessary legal clarity.

The Georgian Prosecutor's Office froze the accounts of five foundations providing financial support to protest participants. The government continuously undermines people’s freedom of assembly through draconian laws, excessive fines and police violence.

The Armenian Parliament adopted a new Law on Youth Policy, a pivotal step towards empowering young people and recognising them as key players in shaping the future of the country.

The Georgian Dream parliament proposes legal changes to suppress independent media, discredit CSOs and exclude them from decision-making processes. The changes also remove the concept of 'gender equality' from legislation.

CSO tax returns may again be submitted on paper, alleviating the financial and administrative burden of filing them electronically.

The draft of the Law on Initiating the Process of Armenia’s Accession to the European Union was proposed by the ‘Euroqve’ Initiative Group, showing the power of citizens’ constitutional right to legislative initiative.

The Government launched a process to amend the legal framework on transparency in decision-making, while CSOs propose a broader legal approach that extends beyond transparency, to ensure meaningful participation at all stages of policymaking.

New law introduces European standards regarding participation in decision-making processes, good governance, and dialogue between residents and local authorities.

Government has rolled back some elements of the newly-introduced licensing requirements on social service providers, because of their negative impact on the care homes sector.

Amendments to the Law on Grants establish a state agency to allocate 6.8 million EUR to organisations. Independent and critical CSOs consider this fund as an attempt to create a civic sector aligned with the ruling party's agenda.

The US funding freeze delivers yet another significant blow to an already fragile civic sector in the EaP region. But the sector is resilient, and funders must stand up and support the causes.