The EU'S financial support for the civil society in the Western Balkans vs. the Republic of Moldova

The civil society has increased its involvement in the life of every democratic society. The goal of our paper is to outline the engagement of the EU in the reformation/ democratization of the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova through the financial aid that is offered to the civil society. The civil society in a democracy plays an important role in the awareness and concern of the public opinion regarding a conflict resolution process. At present, an empowered and active civil society can mobilize people in the street, for the purpose of demanding change. From raising awareness and sharing information about a supposed prejudice to connecting with others who feel the same about an issue, the civil society impacts public opinion. Methodologically, we started from the following research hypothesis: the financial aid offered by the EU helps to reform the countries in the process of joining the EU. Consequently, our study is based on a comparative analysis of the official documents issued by the European Commission concerning the financing of the multi-country multiannual action plan on an EU Civil Society Facility and Media Programme in favour of the Western Balkans and Turkey for 2021-2023, with a focus on the countries of the Western Balkans, and in favour of the NDICI Neighbourhood East Region part 1 for 2021-2022, with a focus on Moldova. The research is multidisciplinary and at the crossroads of decision-making policies and communication, attempting to contribute to a better understanding of the role of the civil society amid the democratization/reformation of the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova.