NCEU supports the call made by civil society organizations for the United Nations to conduct an independent international investigation into the events of 15 March 2025
More than a year after the events that caused serious concern among a large number of citizens, Serbia still lacks findings that enjoy the confidence of a significant portion of the public. Instead of an independent and credible investigation, we have witnessed contradictory statements by different government officials, campaigns targeting organizations that collected citizens’ testimonies, and attempts to shift attention away from the events themselves toward those who have sought and continue to seek answers. For this reason, we believe that the call submitted by a broad coalition of civil society organizations to the relevant United Nations mechanisms should not…
Full Support for the Continuation of Accession Negotiations and the Strengthening of Regional Cooperation
Statement by the Intersectoral Working Group for Regional Cooperation and the Working Group for Chapter 31 of the National Convention on the European Union At a joint meeting of the Intersectoral Working Group for Regional Cooperation and the Working Group for Chapter 31 of the National Convention on the European Union, members of both working groups discussed current issues of relevance to the foreign policy of the Republic of Serbia, the European integration process, and regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. In the conclusions adopted at the meeting, the participants expressed their full support for the continuation of accession negotiations…
ILO Convention on Decent Work in the Platform Economy: An Important Step Towards Better Protection of Workers’ Socio-Economic Rights
The Center for Democracy Foundation welcomes the adoption of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on Decent Work in the Platform Economy, as the digital economy can contribute to development only if it is based on respect for human dignity and the socio-economic rights of workers. The ILO Convention represents an important step towards ensuring that platform workers, regardless of their formal employment status, are recognized as holders of labour and socio-economic rights. It establishes the first internationally binding standards governing work in the platform economy, including protection against the misclassification of employment status, greater transparency of algorithmic management, protection…
Support for Women’s Entrepreneurship: New Knowledge and Skills for Women from the Pirot District
Empowering Women in Southern Serbia to Start and Manage Their Own Businesses Within the framework of the project “My Idea, My Business: Empowering Women for Entrepreneurship and Climate Resilience in Southern Serbia”, the Center for Democracy Foundation organized a “Start Me Up” training on business creation and management in Pirot from June 4-6, 2026. The three-day interactive program, themed “Launch Your Idea: First Steps Towards a Sustainable Business”, brought together 17 women from the Pirot District who demonstrated high motivation to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and gain insights into sustainable business models and social entrepreneurship. The development of business ideas,…
Founders’ Assembly and Management Board Meeting of the Center for Democracy Foundation Held
At its session held on 5 June 2026, the Founders’ Assembly of the Center for Democracy Foundation marked the passing of its founder and President of the Management Board since the Foundation’s establishment, Prof. Dr. Dragoljub Mićunović. At the Assembly, Prof. Dr. Ksenija Petovar was elected President of the Foundation’s Management Board, while Prof. Dr. Ana Pešikan was elected Vice-President of the Management Board of the Center for Democracy Foundation. Center for Democracy Foundation
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…
