CSOs resilience against shrinking democratic space in CEE

Note: Due to security considerations, access to the event without prior registration is not possible. To attend  any workshop in person, including the one by ECAS, you must register at the following link: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/civil-society-days-2023/registration  

Discussion points

Part 1: Which CSOs are the targets of state attacks in CEE? Are CSOs that work in specific thematic areas at greater risk (i.e. are there specific areas that are causing greater concern or is civil society attacked indiscriminately)?

Part 2: Are there early warning signs of an incoming attack or discrediting action that CSOs could look out for? Do these occur, for example, around elections or other predictable events?

Part 3: How should CSOs react to attacks? What are the working approaches and actions that civil society can take in order to counteract these threats both reactively and proactively?

Agenda

09.30 – 09.35: Welcome and introduction by Simeon Stoyanov, CEE project coordinator, ECAS

09.35 – 09.45: Keynote speech by Assya Kavrakova, Executive Director, ECAS

09.45 – 09.55: Engaging and understanding the audience (Slido poll) by Simeon Stoyanov, ECAS

09.55 – 10.00: Introducing the panellists by Simeon Stoyanov, ECAS:

• Cristian Pîrvulescu, Member of the EESC and President of the Ad hoc group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law
• Filip Pazderski, Vice-President, ECF; Head of the Democracy and Civil Society Programme, Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
• Maja Stojanović, Executive Director of Citizen’s Association for Democracy and Civic Education – Civic Initiatives, Serbia

10.00 – 10.15: Panel discussion part 1: CSO targeted by state or state-affiliated attacks

10.15  – 10.20: Audience Q&A on part 1

10.20 – 10.35: Panel discussion part 2: Predicting attacks against civil society?

10.35 – 10.40: Audience Q&A on part 2

10.40 – 10.55: Panel discussion part 3: Reactive and proactive solutions to attacks against civil society

10.55 – 11.00: Audience Q&A and conclusion

You can read more about the speakers in this and other workshops here.

All workshops will be web streamed at this link.