#BalkansDebrief

After four and a half months of negotiations, a new pro-EU government led by the "Europe Now" leader, Milojko Spajic, was voted in by Parliament. The government includes a coalition of pro-European and pro-Serbian parties. In reaction to the appointment of Andrija Mandic, head of a pro-Serb and pro-Russia alliance called "For a Better Montenegro," protests emerged in Podgorica. In this episode of...

The European Parliament's (EP) resolution condemning Serbia's actions in northern Kosovo marks a significant development in the ongoing crisis between the two countries. The resolution calls for a freeze on funding for the Serbian government if it is found to have been directly involved in the recent attack in Banjska. In a debrief with Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare, Viola von Cramon, a memb...

The recent murder of a Kosovar Albanian police officer by dozens of Serbian gunmen in the north of Kosovo is a reminder of the increasing security concerns between the two nations and the region at large. Given that the EU-led Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue for comprehensive normalization has reached a dead end, how should the international community respond to the violence and reconvene a dialogue? ...

The war in Ukraine has renewed interest in EU enlargement in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. The Berlin Process, which has been working to revitalize ties between Western Balkan candidate countries and the EU for the last 10 years, is now seeing its efforts pay off.   The 2023 Tirana Civil Society and Think Tank Forum is playing a key role in the conversation on EU Enlargement into the Bal...

As the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels faces a critical juncture, the pressing question arises: How do we navigate this impasse? In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare talks to two civil society leaders, Milica Andric Rakic, program manager at the New Social Initiative, and Shpetim Gashi, Vice President of the Council for Inclusive...

Ahead of a crucial vote to amend its constitution, Skopje's political landscape remains sharply divided. The current government strongly supports the changes, which will add language in recognition of the country's Bulgarian minority, while the opposition remains vehemently opposed. Even a pro-amendment campaign by EU and US diplomats has yet to tip the scales in favor of the amendment's adoption....

The Berlin Process, led by EU member states under German leadership, was revitalized last year to promote economic regional cooperation among the Western Balkans' six countries. Albania currently holds the chairmanship of the Berlin Summit, which is scheduled for October 16 in Tirana, with the participation of EU leaders. Ahead of the summit, Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Dr. Odet...

Benefits of regional economic integration| A debrief with Stefan Lazarevic and Enio Jaco Home to 18 million people in the heart of Europe, the Western Balkans have enormous potential to catalyze economic growth through greater market openness. Ongoing regional cooperation efforts aim to address economic challenges such as high rates of unemployment and poverty, issues regarding corruption and upho...

Following snap parliamentary elections on June 11 th , Montenegro finds itself in a new phase of political uncertainty. The Europe Now Movement (PES) won a plurality of the vote but failed to secure enough seats to form a government. More alarmingly, voter turnout hit a historic low of 56.4 percent due in part to election fatigue and a lack of political change. Now more than ever, the country need...

Will Kosovo and Serbia make concessions towards normalization? A debrief with Sen. Chris Murphy After the recent escalation of tensions in northern Kosovo, Senator Murphy played a crucial role in urging for de-escalation between Kosovo and Serbia. Thanks to broad bipartisan support in the US Senate, both Serbia and Kosovo were called upon to address the fragile security situation in the north and...

What's behind the escalation in Kosovo? A debrief with Jovana Radosavljevic and Agon Maliqi   Violent protests in the north of Kosovo have escalated the situation, leaving 50 KFOR troops wounded when newly elected Albanian mayors entered the municipality buildings in areas with a Serbian majority, protected by an increased presence of Kosovo police. NATO has deployed 700 additional troops to ensur...

Why the European future of the Balkans depends on Serbia? | A Debrief with Borut Pahor In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a new European security order is being designed. After years of enlargement impasse, Brussels has recognized the pivotal role of the EU membership of the six Western Balkan countries. What future will the region have, and how can the influence of Russia be challeng...

What's next after Bulgarian elections? A Debrief with Dimitar Bechev Bulgaria's recent parliamentary elections marked a significant moment for the country after a two-year political deadlock, which had resulted in the need for a technocratic government. This election is seen as potentially having a significant impact on Bulgaria's relationship with the EU, particularly in terms of addressing corru...

Mediated by the European Union and supported by the United States, the Ohrid summit between Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is a historic opportunity to resolve a long-standing dispute between Serbia and Kosovo and accelerate the Euro-Atlantic integration process for both countries. In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare is...

On February 27th, Serbia and Kosovo agreed that no further discussion are needed on the EU proposal for normalization of relations, which could potentially pave the way for the resolution of an unfinished conflict. The agreement was a step forward in normalizing relations between Serbia and Kosovo with focus on guarantees and protection of legitimate rights of the Serbian community across the terr...

North Macedonia's accession to the European Union has been delayed in the last two years due to disagreements with Bulgaria. The dispute centers around the identity of the Slavs in Macedonia and whether there is a istinctly Macedonian ethnicity and language. Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare is joined in this episode of #BalkansDebrief by Petar Todorov a historian and a member of the Bilateral M...

Even though the situation between Serbia and Kosovo is more tense than in recent memory, with the war in Ukraine as a backdrop, the broader situation in the region remains unchanged. As EU enlargement remains stalled, the best prospect for improving the lives of citizens in the region appears to be the private sector investment in economic development. Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare is joined...

Another end-of-year flare-up in the north of Kosovo was just the latest in a cycle of crisis that repeats itself every time a deadline for normalization is approaching or a new agreement is about to take effect between Kosovo and Serbia. Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Tim Judah, a journalist and author, in this episode of #BalkansDebrief about the role played by the Serbian Preside...

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has largely defined the year with the crises across the Western Balkans shaping against this grim backdrop. Even though the year-end leaves the region in an uncertain place, with tensions between Serbia and Kosovo at an all-time high, some positive developments ought to be noted. Ilva Tare, Atlantic Council Europe Center's Nonresident Senior Fellow, speaks with Maja Pi...

The recent EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana, Albania, was seen as a step in the right direction for reinvigorating the EU enlargement process. Is there a new political will for enlargement among the EU member states? How did the new geopolitical momentum following Russia's aggression in Ukraine affect the membership prospects of the Western Balkan countries? Ilva Tare, Atlantic Council Europe C...

With the Berlin Process summit in sight, the first headlines coming from Germany indicate that Berlin will deliver agreements signed by all six Western Balkans countries. Will these new regional dynamics produce long-term meaningful changes?   Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks with Milan Nič, Senior Fellow at the German Council on the Foreign Relations, in this episode of #BalkansDebrief...

The quest for freedom has long been the interest of political scholars and philosophers. Yet an 11-year-old girl in Albania began debating the issue with her parents while the streets of Tirana erupted with protests demanding freedom. That girl is Lea Ypi, a political theory professor at the London School of Economics and the author of the internationally acclaimed novel, "Free, coming of age at t...

When German Chancellor Olaf Scholz broke the news of a Berlin Process 2.0, the Western Balkans' hopes for a revival of European enlargement were revived. The Common Regional Market and the 'four freedoms' are at the heart of Berlin process, but previous negotiations broke down in Sofia due to differences between Serbia and Kosovo.   In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Ilva Tare speaks with Manuel...

While the United States is expected to bolster its political commitment to the Western Balkans through economic support, a bipartisan bill introduced in Congress aims to enhance those efforts by providing increased funding and technical assistance.     In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Ilva Tare speaks to   Senator Jeanne Shaheen who is leading this bipartisan effort to bolster American leadersh...

Bosnian citizens voted for new representatives on October 2. Immediately after the polls closed the Office of the High Representative, led by Christian Schmidt, imposed a new election law requiring immediate implementation. In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Ilva Tare speaks to Damir Marusic, Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council's Europe Center, about the main takeaways of the elections. What...