Development of Collective Bargaining in the Care, Administration, and Waste Management Sectors in Central and Eastern European Countries
CEECAW Project The Center for Democracy Foundation organized a workshop and roundtable discussion on May 22, 2025, in Belgrade, as part of the project “Challenges of Organizing and Collective Bargaining in the Care, Administration, and Waste Management Sectors in Central and Eastern European (CEE) Countries” (CEECAW). The workshop topics on strengthening collective bargaining in the care, public administration, and waste management sectors included increasing the coverage of collective bargaining in EU countries, as well as the challenges and potential pathways for collective bargaining in Central and Eastern European countries. Participants included: Barbara Surdykowska (Institute of Public Affairs, IPA, Poland); Dr. Thorstein Müller (European Trade Union Institute…
CDF: The Citizens of Serbia Share European Values of Democracy and Rule of Law
The Center for Democracy Foundation extends its congratulations to all the citizens of Serbia on Europe Day! This year marks 75 years since the Schuman Declaration, which paved the way for the political integration of Europe and laid the foundations for today’s European Union, a community based on the values of democracy, rule of law, and economic prosperity. Twenty-five years ago, Serbia chose the European path with the goal of becoming a full member. Our progress in EU integration has been extremely slow, reforms unconvincing, and in key areas Serbia is regressing. Twenty years ago, we believed that the rules and…
Student and Civic Protests Have Shown That Serbian Citizens Share European Values of Democracy and Rule of Law
Nataša Vučković for NIN “Student and civic protests have shown that the citizens of Serbia share European values of democracy and the rule of law, and that the principles of separation of powers, accountable government, and good governance are well rooted in Serbian society. I consider this a very important argument in any discussion about our citizens’ interest in Serbia’s European future”, stated Nataša Vučković, Secretary General of the Center for Democracy Foundation, in an interview with NIN. In a conversation on the topic of young people’s trust in institutions, Vučković emphasized that students rightly focused the most on the judiciary. “The…
Two-thirds of the way to achieving the 2030 Agenda
“SDGs for All” Platform September this year will mark ten years since the adoption of the UN global development agenda – Agenda 2030, to which Serbia has committed by signing the UN resolution “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. Five years before the expiration of this ambitious global plan, the country faces numerous challenges despite slight progress, it was concluded at the fourth annual conference of the “SDGs for All” entitled “A Decade of the 2030 Agenda in Serbia: Progress, Achievements and Perspectives”. In addition to the tenth anniversary of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Serbia, the conference also…
Annual Conference: “Is There Decent Work for the Citizens of Serbia? Between Reality and Possibilities”
“Labor Rights and Decent Work in Socio-Economic Reforms in Serbia – Black and White” On April 16, 2025, Center for Democracy Foundation, with the support of the Olof Palme International Center, organized the annual conference titled “Is There Decent Work for the Citizens of Serbia? Between Reality and Possibilities”. At the conference, held within the project “Labor Rights and Decent Work in Socio-Economic Reforms in Serbia – Black and White” the annual Report on the State of Labor Rights in the Republic of Serbia for 2024 was presented, along with the study “Main Problems of Labor Legislation in Serbia”. Participants in the discussion included: Brankica Janković, Commissioner…
Vučković at JCC Meeting in Brussels: Serbian Citizens Have Shown Commitment to European Values through Protests
EU-Serbia Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) Nataša Vučković, CDF’s Secretary General, participated at the EU-Serbia Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meeting held on 7 April 2025 at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels. The meeting focused on the current state of Serbia’s EU accession negotiations, the ongoing protests in Serbia, and possible solutions to the country’s political crisis. Vučković emphasised that the protests in Serbia demonstrate the public’s commitment to European values, including democracy, the rule of law, human rights, accountable institutions, the fight against corruption, the separation of powers, freedom of expression, and media freedom. “The student protests…
Public debate: Single and Independent – Local Policies Supporting Parents Raising Children Alone
SDGs for All Platform On 1 April 2025, the Centre for Democracy Foundation organised a public debate entitled Single and Independent – Local Policies Supporting Parents Raising Children Alone, as part of the Social Pillar of the Sustainable Development for All Platform. The discussion focused on the improvement of local policies aimed at enhancing the position of single parents and single-parent families, as well as on measures and solutions that would contribute to the development of more inclusive policies and services at the local level. Participants in the debate included: Lidija Kuzmanov, Researcher; Dragan Stanojević, Institute for Sociological Research; Gordana…
NKEU sent a letter to EC officials regarding the inclusion of the „Jadar“ project in the list of EU strategic projects
Program Council of the National Convention on European Union Your Excellencies, We address you as a coalition of civil society organizations strongly committed to Serbia’s European future, to express our deep concern about the potential consequences of including the Jadar project on the list of strategic projects of the European Union under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). As you are aware, Serbian citizens’ trust in the European Union has been seriously eroded for quite some time. Recent public opinion research has, for the first time, shown that the number of citizens opposing EU membership now exceeds those in favor. This decline in trust is primarily the…
Vučković in Brussels: Civil Society Ensures Citizens’ Voices Are Heard
Civil Society Week 2025 – European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Nataša Vučković, President of the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) and Secretary General of the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF) stated in Brussels that civil societies ensure the voices of citizens are heard and that civil societies in Serbia need support and solidarity of the European Union. “Inclusive dialogue is only possible in an environment enabling mutual respect among its participants. Our shared task is to restore our the people’s trust in institutions,” Vučković said. Speaking at the closing session of Civil Society Week 2025, organised by the…
Citizens of Serbia Want a Democratically Transformed State
Nataša Vučković speaks in Brussels on civic protests in Serbia On 20 March 2025, the Press Club Brussels hosted a panel titled Balkan Talks: Citizens’ Uprising in Serbia, organised by the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA). In addition to Nataša Vučković, President of ALDA and the Secretary General of the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF), speaking at the panel were Alessandra Moretti, Member of the European Parliament and the Vice-Chair of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA and others. Nataša Vučković highlighted that contrary to the commonly held belief, current civil protests…
Stop Pressure and Intimidation of Serbian Citizens
National Convention on the European Union The National Convention on the European Union condemns the creation of an atmosphere of panic and intimidation ahead of the public gathering in Belgrade, scheduled for Saturday, March 15th, organized by students participating in the blockade from across Serbia. Peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, as well as by international conventions and commitments Serbia has undertaken in the process of European integration. We therefore call on all relevant authorities to act professionally, impartially, and in accordance with the law, ensuring that…
Roundtable: Key Issues in Labour Legislation in Serbia
Labour Rights and Decent Work in Socio Economic Reforms in Serbia – Black and White On 13 March 2025 in Belgrade, the Center for Democracy Foundation organised a roundtable discussion on the current state of labour legislation in Serbia. The event brought together relevant stakeholders, including independent experts, trade union representatives, employers, academia, and civil society, to analyse the existing legislative framework, discuss key challenges, and propose concrete steps for its improvement. The basis for the discussion was the study entitled Key Issues in Labour Legislation in Serbia, authored by Professor Bojan Urdarević and Assistant Jovana Misailović, prepared within the project “Labour Rights…
