Balkans

The Western Balkans is transforming into one of the primary fronts of confrontation between global powers, where Russia’s and Serbia’s hybrid strategies directly challenge the stability and sovereignty of countries in the region. This paper examines the complex dimensions of this hybrid warfare, focusing on recent attacks in Banjska and …

Hybrid warfare has made the transition from being a purely theoretical concern to a multifaceted and pervasive strategy that fundamentally affects the structure of modern societies. It has transcended the boundaries of propaganda and disinformation, by transforming these tools into powerful weapons to influence democratic processes and government decision-making. In …

Three months after it was announced, Serbia has made little progress in implementing President Aleksandar Vucic’s five-point plan to “safeguard the future” of Serbs in Kosovo. On September 13, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced a five-point plan to safeguard the future of Serbs who live in a northern pocket of …

Russia is still present in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe, and this influence has not diminished even after three years of aggression in Ukraine. The “high impact at low cost” formula continues to lead Moscow to realize its agenda on the European continent. Through the Orthodox churches in the …

Ugljesa-Ugi-Zvekic-Ioannis-Vlassis-Integrity-and-independence-of-criminal-justice-institutions-in-the-Western-Balkans-Police-and-prosecution-GI-TOC-November-2024Download

Bulgaria is back in very familiar territory. The October 27 parliamentary elections gave former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s center-right GERB party the most votes, but not enough to form a government on its own. Borisov will certainly try. But despite winning five out of seven parliamentary elections since 2021, GERB …

Launched six months ago, the Open Balkan ID Number was presented as marking the start of a single labour market between Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania. It has had some teething troubles. Andrija Ivanov spent years moving from job to job, place to place in his native Serbia. Then, in …

Serbia and North Macedonia are exploring alternatives to EU membership that would bring economic benefits and relieve them of accession-related demands. But their turn away from EU integration would disadvantage both the union and the Western Balkans. EU enlargement to the Western Balkans appears to be in full swing. But …

Israeli president Isaac Herzog’s first ever visits to Serbia and Albania weeks ago cannot be seen as isolated from the developments in the region, analysts say. As Tel Aviv charges ahead with multiple wars, undeterred by the unprecedented damage it is bringing itself globally as indicated by some of its …

The Italian government has passed a new decree to circumvent a recent ruling from the Rome tribunal and European Court of Justice (ECJ) obligations that had challenged its migration outsourcing model with Albania. Albania and Italy struck a deal in the autumn of 2023 to set up two migrant centres …