Civil society organisations in Kosovo and Serbia reiterated their commitment to actively working towards the normalisation of relations throughout the entire region. They call for the building of ties in accordance with the terms and spirit of Article 6 of the recent roadmap on normalisation, through which the parties have agreed to deepen cooperation in a variety of areas.
Milan Filipović from YUCOM, scholarship holder and civil society representative, actively participated in the first meeting of the MASTER CLASS “Regulating artificial intelligence: legal and ethical challenge”. This event brought together AI and regulatory experts to discuss key aspects of AI regulation. Participants also discussed the future of artificial intelligence and how to deal with the legal and ethical issues that arise with the increasingly widespread use of this technology.
Jovana Spremo, Advocacy Director at YUCOM, spoke at the round table “Process ofEuropean integration and policy towards minorities” organized by the Forum10 initiative from Novi Pazar. As part of the discussion, which was attended by representatives of independent institutions, national councils of nationalminorities and civil society, Jovana presented the current state of progress within Chapter 23, which concerns the protection and position of nationalminorities. She particularly emphasized how the process of Serbia’s accession to the EU can be used to improve the position of minority communities, as well as to encourage an environment for acceptance of diversity, reduction of hate speech and more meaningful and comprehensive integration.
Milan Filipović, Director of Research at YUCOM, participated in a thought-provoking panel discussion at the Belgrade Security Conference organized by our colleagues from the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP). This year’s theme: “Reconstruction of Global (Dis)Order” couldn’t be more relevant.
Milan Filipović, Research Director at YUCOM, participated in the Regional Conference on Media Freedom, Access to Information and Safety of Journalists, which took place on September 15 in the UN building, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The conference brought together distinguished experts, journalists, and civil society representatives to discuss key issues concerning media freedom, the protection of journalists, the suppression of hate speech on the Internet, and the improvement of the safety of female journalists.
This is an act of extreme violence against the institution of the National Assembly, since the decision was reversed without the MPs being granted the opportunity to make a decision, all in order to suspend the work of the Inquiry Committee in connection with the crimes of May 3 and 4, that is, so that the government would avoid the risk of political responsibility, related to the explosion of violence in society, becoming more visible through the work of that parliamentary body.
On July 6 and 7, 2023, Kristina Todorović, attorney at law from the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM, participated at the 19th coordination meeting in Vršac, which gathered representatives of competent state authorities and civil society organizations with the aim of preventing hate crimes in the Republic of Serbia. During the meeting, the project of the OSCE Mission in Serbia “Support to victims and witnesses of criminal acts in Serbia” was presented to the participants, with a special focus on activities related to advancing their rights and support to victims of hate crimes.
On June 24, 2023, YUCOM participated in the fourth meeting of the Women’s Network for Nature and Environmental Protection, held in Knić. During the event, Kristina Todorović, attorney at law from YUCOM, conducted a workshop titled “The Right to Activism: Legal Protection for Activists, Penalties, SLAPP, and other pressures”.
The pre-event, organized by the Human Rights House Foundation, Netherlands Helsinki Committee, and Austausch e.V. – For a European Civil Society (formerly DRA e.V.), with support from the European Union and the Netherlands, provided valuable insights into the role of civil society in promoting and protecting human rights.