POLICY PAPER | EU Accession Talks for Albania and North Macedonia: Mirage or Reality? Sasa Kulenovic 14/10/2019 Publications, Western Balkans Albania and North Macedonia’s bid to join the European Union has gathered momentum in recent years as the two countries made progress on their quest to open accession negotiations. While the European Comm... Be More Curious...
Western Balkans and the Return to Arms: Can the EU stabilize the region? Sasa Kulenovic 03/10/2019 Publications, Western Balkans The political climate in the Western Balkans has become more volatile in recent years, characterized by an increase in bilateral tensions and a sharpening nationalist and at times warmongering rhetoric. A... Be More Curious...
COMMENTARY | Serbia: towards the EU or searching for another direction? Dimitra Koutouzi 29/09/2019 Publications, Western Balkans Serbia and Russia have been allies for many years and Russia is constantly concerned about the relations between Serbia and the European Union (EU). Russia’s interest has always been to keep the Western Balkans away from the influence of the EU, more imp... Be More Curious...
REPORT | A Message for Europe from the President of North Macedonia Carey Bennington 24/06/2019 Western Balkans LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE SPEECH President of North Macedonia, Mr Stevo Pendarovski, recently spoke at an event moderated by Shada Islam and hosted by Friends of Europe in Brussels, Belgium. H... Be More Curious...
The Balkans Ahead of the New European Parliament: A Change of Paradigm? Zoran Cicak 24/05/2019 Publications, Western Balkans However, there remains a paradox which is indeed endemic in Western Balkans. It is more or less overt support extended by the European Union to policies and leaders which are both inherently anti-European... Be More Curious...
COMMENTARY | How North Macedonia’s rebranded name affects its international position? Aleksandra Toska 16/05/2019 Publications, Western Balkans The collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991 led to the birth of several nation states, with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (henceforth FYROM) being one of the initial offspring. Compared to the rest of the ex-Yugoslav countries, the self-proclaimed R... Be More Curious...
North Macedonia’s Unusual Waltz with Turkey – Will it frustrate the EU and NATO? Pavel Vanev 30/04/2019 Publications, Western Balkans The saga, surrounding the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), finally came to an end this February (2019) with a brand new North Macedonia label stamped over the old contested FYROM... Be More Curious...
Kosovo and the EU: The Need for Visa Liberalisation is Growing Alejandra Finotto 09/03/2019 Publications, Western Balkans Just last year, Kosovo was celebrating its 10th anniversary of Independence, which it declared on February 2008 unilaterally from Serbia. Despite having a past marked by conflict, especially given the 1... Be More Curious...
Vocal Cast with Mimoza Kusari-Lila Ebubekir ISIK 31/12/2018 Vocal Cast, Western Balkans As part of our Vocal Cast series that are supported by Science 14, we have talked to Mimoza Kusari-Lila, former deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and member of Kosovar Parliament where she leads the political party, named Alternativa. Among many relevant... Be More Curious...
POLICY PAPER — The EU and the Western Balkans 6: a difficult wedding Sergio Caliva 07/11/2018 Publications, Western Balkans The Balkan Region, and particularly the Western part closer to the EU, consisting of the so-called WB6 – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia – has always had a fund... Be More Curious...
Macedonia referendum result – everyone rejoices, none is satisfied Sergio Caliva 05/10/2018 Western Balkans Last Sunday, on the 30thof September, Skopje held the most important vote in its recent national history, after the independence which took place in 1991. This time the aim was to settle the three decad... Be More Curious...
Macedonia referendum: ”the once-in-a-life occasion” Sergio Caliva 24/09/2018 Western Balkans After the achievement of the historical “name-deal” between Macedonia’s and Greece’s governments, which would allegedly will bring an end to their 27 years long dispute, on 30 September Macedonians will have the opportunity to decide for their country... Be More Curious...
Land-swap deal: ideal solution or Pandora’s box? Sergio Caliva 18/09/2018 Western Balkans Despite the declared intentions of both the Kosovar and Serbian governments to achieve the land-swap deal, which would allegedly contribute to the detente of their bilateral relations and more generally... Be More Curious...
Generational decision: Will Macedonia’s citizens accept Agreement with Greece? Vocal Europe 17/09/2018 Western Balkans This piece was published in cooperation with European Western Balkans. On 30 September 2018, citizens of Macedonia will have an opportunity to strongly influence their country’s future. By voting for or ... Be More Curious...
Will the Name Deal between Greece and Macedonia be Preserved? Vicky Pathiakaki 04/08/2018 Western Balkans There are times when historical time thickens, and the importance of specific moments not only concern the narrow boundaries of a country but also spread out in space and time. Such a historic time was the decision of the renaming of Macedonia to North... Be More Curious...
UAE in the Balkans: Meeting point between ‘sultanism’ and authoritarianism? Vocal Europe 16/07/2018 Western Balkans This piece was written by Tena Prelec, Research Associate at the London School of Economics’ European Policy Institute, who was a speaker at the event the event “Beyond Berlin: What Does the Next Decade Hold fo... Be More Curious...
Julie Ward on the role of Youth and Civil Society in the Western Balkans Julien Hoez 22/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe's research series on the Western Balkans, Julie Ward, Member of the European Parliament Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo shares her take on the role that can be played b... Be More Curious...
Eduard KUKAN on Serbia and the EU Accession Process Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Eduard Kukan, Chair of European Parliament Delegation to Serbia, shares his take on the recent state of the relations between Serbia and the EU at the panel organized by Vocal Europe.... Be More Curious...
Alojz PETERLE on the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Alojz Peterle, Chair of European Parliament Delegation to Macedonia (FYROM), shares his take on the recent state of the relations between Macedo... Be More Curious...
Andre De MUNTER on the countries in the Western Balkans Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Andre De Munter, Policy Analyst at the European Parliament, shares his take on the recent state of the relations between he countries in the Wes... Be More Curious...
Corina STRATULAT on the countries in the Western Balkans Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Corina STRATULAT, Senior Policy Analyst at European Policy Centre, shares her take on the recent state of the relations between he countries in the Western Balkans and the EU at a panel organize... Be More Curious...
Isabella DE MONTE on Montenegro and the EU Accession Process Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Isabella DE MONTE, Substitute of European Parliament Delegation to Montenegro, shares her take on the recent state of the relations between Mont... Be More Curious...
Milena HARITO on the Republic of Albania and the EU Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Milena Harito, Former Minister of State for Innovation and Public Administration of Albania, shares her take on the recent state of the relation... Be More Curious...
H.E. Mrs. Suela JANINA on the Republic of Albania and the EU Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans,H.E. Mrs. Suela JANINA, Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the EU, shares her take on the recent state of the relations between Albania and the EU at a panel organized by Vocal Europe.... Be More Curious...
Thomas WAITZ on Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Thomas WAITZ, Vice Chair of European Parliament Delegation to Kosovo, and BiH, shares his take on the recent state of the relations between the ... Be More Curious...
Toby VOGEL on the Western Balkans and the EU Accession Process Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Toby VOGEL, Policy Analyst at Center for European Policy Studies, shares his take on the recent state of the relations between the countries in ... Be More Curious...
Clive Rumbold (EEAS) on the Western Balkans and the EU Julien Hoez 21/06/2018 Events, Western Balkans As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Clive Rumbold, Deputy Head of Western Balkans Division at European External Action Service, shares his take on the recent state of the relations between the countries in the Western Balkans and ... Be More Curious...
Europe is facing ‘Erdoğan crisis’ in the Western Balkans too Valeria Mingardi 05/06/2018 Western Balkans Hasan Hüseyin Demir moved from Hassa, a small city in the Turkish province of Hatay to Kosovo in 2012 to work first as an educator and then as a school principal. His life was following the normal path of a... Be More Curious...
Monday Talk with European Parliament’s Foreign Policy Chief on Western Balkans Vocal Europe 12/03/2018 Western Balkans Western Balkans has never been a simple place. Although, there is a continues determination by the European Union to see the countries in the Western Balkans as part of the European Union in the near future, ye... Be More Curious...
Digital — a game changer in the Western Balkans Milena Harito 22/02/2018 Business, Western Balkans The 6 February 2018 in the new the European Commission strategy for the Western Balkans, for the first time since the first steps of this region towards EU, the digital agenda became central. Launching a digital agenda is one of the six flagship initiative... Be More Curious...
The New Politics for Macedonia’s largest opposition party Anastasia Tsougka 15/01/2018 Western Balkans The two-day conference (22 - 23/12) of the main opposition party of F.Y.R.O. Macedonia concluded its work with the election of a new party leader, marking the departure of Nikola Gruevski from its leadershi... Be More Curious...
”Passing through Bulgaria, Iran is planting Hezbollah members in Balkans” Ruslan Trad 19/12/2017 Inside Europe, Western Balkans “I am not alone here. I know of several more Lebanese and Syrian-related Hezbollah members who have lived in Bulgaria for years.” Ali, a Hezbollah sympathizer, living in Bulgaria and married to a Bulgari... Be More Curious...
Erdogan bullies Europe and America through Balkans Vocal Europe 01/11/2017 Beyond Europe, Western Balkans Ithas become difficult to keep track of Turkey recently. In less than a month, four biggest mayors from Erdogan’s party were forced to resign. If we count the mayors that he appointed trustees upon, more than 33 million Turks are not being led by the mayors th... Be More Curious...
Monday Talk with Vesna Marjanovic on Massive Protests in Serbia Vocal Europe 24/04/2017 Monday Talks, Western Balkans Vocal Europe: What were the main reasons behind the ongoing massive protests where thousands hit on the streets against government in Serbia? Vesna Marjanovic is a member of Serbia's national parliament. ... Be More Curious...
Strategic Options for Europe, the Occasional Power Vocal Europe 29/12/2015 The Opinion, Western Balkans by JAN TECHAU There is a lot of foreign policy going on in Europe, but not all of it is EU foreign policy. EU foreign policy is external action taken by all 28 member states together, as a shared responsibilit... Be More Curious...
NATO’s Absence in the Refugee Crisis Vocal Europe 10/11/2015 Inside Europe, Western Balkans by JUDY DEMPSEY Europe is facing a flow of refugees not seen since the end of World War II. Then, over 12 million people, many ethnic Germans from Poland, Czechoslovakia, and other Eastern European countries were either expelled from their homelands or fle... Be More Curious...
