Democratic engagement initiatives rise in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Efforts to strengthen direct democracy and citizen engagement are being highlighted in the Balkan region. In Croatia, the organization Gong is organizing its first citizen panel, scheduled for September 18, 2026, at the European Parliament Office in Zagreb. The event aims to bring together citizens from various backgrounds to discuss democratic challenges and European policies, ultimately forming concrete recommendations for decision-makers regarding transparency and institutional accountability.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, advocates are calling for a unified Law on Citizen Initiative. Currently, the country lacks a single state-level law, leaving the right to initiate legislation to inconsistent regulations at the entity and local levels. The Aarhus Center in BiH has submitted an initiative to the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina to establish a systemic legal framework. This would allow citizens to actively participate in the legislative process and demand institutional responses to matters of public interest, rather than only participating during election cycles.