NCEU: Transparency Is a Requirement, not a Courtesy

Statement by the NCEU Intersectoral Working Group for Monitoring the Implementation of the Reform Agenda of the Republic of Serbia The second meeting of the EU-Serbia Reform and Growth Facility (RGF) Monitoring Committee was held in Belgrade on 3 June 2026. The Monitoring Committee is a tripartite body in which the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) participates as a full member with voting rights. The meeting gathered representatives of the European Commission, Serbian public authorities, civil society organisations, embassies of EU Member States, and international organisations. Discussions focused on the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility across…

From Idea to Sustainable Business: Training for Women from the Rasina District

Empowering Women in Southern Serbia to Start and Manage Their Own Businesses On May 30 and 31 and June 1, 2026, within the project “My Idea, My Business: Project to Empower Women for Entrepreneurship and Climate Change Resilience in Southern Serbia”, the Center for Democracy Foundation organized the “Start Me Up” training on starting and managing a business. The intensive three-day program entitled “Launch Your Idea: First Steps Towards a Sustainable Business” was implemented in Vrnjačka Banja and Kruševac, bringing together 19 motivated women from the Rasina District with the aim of strengthening their economic position and enhancing their entrepreneurial…

Nataša Vučković: Respect and Admiration for Dragoljub Mićunović

“He Will Live Forever Through His Works and Our Memories” A memorial for Dragoljub Mićunović, an exceptional professor, philosopher, intellectual, uncompromising advocate of democracy and freedom at a time when democracy did not exist in our country, and a kind and warm-hearted man of inexhaustible energy and unwavering faith in a better future, was organized at the Miljenko Dereta Space in Belgrade by the Center for Democracy Foundation, of which he was the founder and president. Speech by Nataša Vučković at the commemoration of Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Mićunović (Belgrade, May 29, 2026): “Everyone has their own view of Mićun, shaped…

Commemoration of Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Mićunović: He Will Live On Forever Through His Deeds and Our Memories

Friends and associates said farewell to Professor Mićunović, a man of dialogue and unwavering faith in a modern, democratic, European Serbia In the presence of long-standing associates, friends, family members, comrades-in-arms, and admirers of his work, a commemoration was held in Belgrade on May 29, 2026, on the occasion of the passing of Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Mićunović, founder and President of the Management Board of the Center for Democracy Foundation. The gathering was dedicated to a man whose entire lifetime was synonymous with the defense of human dignity, the development of democracy, and an unwavering fight for a modern, European…

Final Farewell to Our Founder, President, and Dear Friend – Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Mićunović (1930–2026)

The Center for Democracy Foundation, with immeasurable sorrow and grief, bade farewell to its founder, long-serving President of the Management Board, mentor, and above all, a dear friend, Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Mićunović. With his passing, society lost one of its most significant figures in the fight for democracy, a modern Serbia, and European values. For all of us at the Center for Democracy Foundation, Professor Mićunović was not only an intellectual authority – he was a man of inexhaustible energy, kind words, and unwavering faith in a better future. In times of crisis and social turbulence, he taught us that…

Three Cities, One Goal: Making Young People’s Voices Count in Local Policy-Making

Young people, civil society organisations and local stakeholders working together to shape stronger and more inclusive communities in Niš, Vranje and Subotica Building local partnerships for youth participation Over the past several months, the Center for Democracy Foundation has organised a series of meetings in Niš, Vranje and Subotica with local stakeholders and interested community actors as part of the project “Your City – Your Voice”. The meetings aimed to lay the groundwork for the more active participation of young people in local development planning processes and public policy development. These meetings marked the beginning of building local networks of…

Amendments to Public Policy Regulations Reduce Transparency and Public Participation

National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) At the end of March, the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted amendments to two regulations: the Regulation on Regulatory Impact Assessment and the Regulation on the Methodology for Developing Public Policy Documents. These amendments introduce the possibility to exempt laws and strategic documents developed within the EU accession process from the obligation to conduct impact assessments and public consultations. In practice, this means that for a large number of laws and public policies, their effects on citizens and the economy will no longer be evaluated, nor will there be an obligation…

Empowering Youth in the Fight Against Disinformation – International Meeting in Wroclaw (DEEP)

We strengthen media literacy and emotional intelligence, helping young people recognize and resist emotionally charged disinformation Milena Mićović-Trajković and Nevena Novaković, representatives of the Center for Democracy Foundation (FCD), participated on April 22, 2026, in Wroclaw, Poland, in the international partner meeting of the European project DEEP (Unveiling deep stories and boosting emotional intelligence to empower citizens against disinformation). The meeting brought together experts and civil society representatives from six European countries (Poland, Bulgaria, Germany, Lithuania, Romania, and Serbia) to define the next steps in developing a methodology that links media literacy and emotional intelligence to combat disinformation. The event…

Annual Conference “Labour Rights and Decent Work in Serbia: State of Play and Directions for Reform”

The Center for Democracy Foundation organized, on April 8, 2026, within the project “Labour Rights and Decent Work in Socio-Economic Reforms in Serbia – Black on White,” with the support of the Olof Palme International Center, the annual conference “Labour Rights and Decent Work in Serbia: State of Play and Directions for Reform.” In the context of ongoing reform processes and challenges in the labour market, the aim of this year’s conference was to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of labour rights in Serbia, as well as to encourage dialogue on key priorities and directions for improving public…

Restricting Public Participation in Law-Making Processes Undermines Serbia’s EU Integration Process

National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) In the past two weeks, the competent ministries have opened public consultations on draft laws in four areas covered by negotiation Chapters 23 and 24. These include amendments to the Family Law, as well as three new laws: the Law on Weapons and Ammunition, the Law on Internal Affairs, and the Law on the Processing of Personal Data in the Field of Internal Affairs. With regard to the implementation of these public consultations, the working groups of the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) for Chapters 23 and 24 have identified several…

NCEU Expresses Concern over the Conduct of Local Elections and Calls for the Establishment of a Long-Term European Parliament Observation Mission

National Convention on the European Union The National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) expresses serious concern regarding the conduct of yesterday’s local elections in Serbia, particularly considering the findings of relevant election observation missions, which point to systemic shortcomings in the exercise of voting rights and the protection of fundamental civil liberties. Of particular concern are reports indicating the absence of an adequate response by competent authorities to incidents of violence against citizens, as well as the failure of the police to act in situations where it was necessary to ensure their protection, prosecute those responsible, and investigate publicly…

Working Group of the NCEU: Amendments to the Labour Law Should Be Conducted Through a Transparent Process

Meeting of the Working Group of the National Convention on the European Union for Chapters 2 and 19 Held The Working Group of the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) for negotiating Chapters 2 (Free Movement of Workers) and 19 (Social Policy and Employment) held a meeting on 11 March 2026 from 10:00 to 13:30 at the NCEU Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by Nataša Vučković on behalf of the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF), which also serves as the coordinator of this Working Group. During the meeting, the state of reforms in the field of labour law was…