Updates

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.

As part of the EU accession, the draft Roadmaps address important issues for CSO enabling environment, such as public participation, protection of defenders and financial sustainability.

In a troubling shift toward authoritarian governance, Georgia’s ruling party has enacted legislative reforms that drastically restrict freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and proposed changes to restrict media, public participation.

Armenia takes important step with a new body dedicated to strengthening participatory governance and supporting civil society development.

Between January 25 and 26, websites hosted inside Belarus were blocked for viewing by foreign visitors, and popular VPNs were blocked for users inside the country.

Despite the release of over 200 political prisoners in 2024, the upcoming election is marked by hundreds of new criminal cases and thousands of ongoing persecutions.

The Orders aim to increase transparency for legal entities, but vague definitions and insufficient safeguards could lead to risks for CSOs and unfair implementation.

The State Financial Monitoring Service Review regarding threats and risks of using CSOs for money laundering and terrorism financing threatens the operational capacity of CSOs, raising concerns about discrimination and overregulation amid war efforts.

The risk of high fines can deter CSOs from accepting grants or donations altogether, potentially stifling their ability to carry out vital work.

Crackdown on pro-EU demonstrators escalates amid deepening political crisis in the country.

The Georgian government, headed by the populist Georgian Dream party, announced the suspension of EU accession negotiations sparking significant political unrest.