#BalkansDebrief

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.

Just as the country voted to change its name before becoming a NATO member, adopting this constitutional amendment is considered to be North Macedonia's exclusive path to EU membership. The government is therefore engaging in an open dialogue with opposition members in the hopes that a difficult compromise can be reached for the sake of progress.

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks to the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Maricikj on the pressing questions surrounding North Macedonia's accession to the EU. What is the public's sentiment regarding the constitutional changes, and are North Macedonian politicians prepared to make tough choices to further EU integration? Does Skopje's government have any contingency plans in case the amendment is defeated by the Parliament? How credible is the indicative date of 2030 as the deadline for accession of the Western Balkan countries?

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. Odeta Barbullushi, advisor to Albania's Prime Minister on European issues and regional cooperation.

Central to the Berlin Process is the ambitious "Common Regional Market," which aims to enhance economic convergence and potentially achieve a growth rate of 6-7% of the region's GDP. While the EU remains the primary trading partner for the Western Balkans countries, the region's economic potential remains untapped.

The expectations of the Western Balkans countries for the Berlin Summit are high. Will the Western Balkan countries receive substantial EU funding to support regional connectivity in key sectors such as infrastructure, energy, digital, and cyber security? What is the US stance in supporting and promoting security and economic cooperation in the region?

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 upholding the rule of law, and stemming the region's "brain drain" and resulting labor shortages.

Recent events are also pushing EU leaders to recognize the importance of the Western Balkans to EU security. As a result, there has been a shift towards expediting the enlargement process, including early access to the EU single market and pre-accession funds to support economic reforms and transformative projects.

In this episode, Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks to the President of American Chamber of Commerce of Serbia Stefan Lazarevic and President of American Chamber of Commerce of Albania Enio Jaco on the region's business climate. Are international investors attracted by the potential that the region holds as a common market? What are their main challenges, and why call for more cooperation to remove barriers and decrease political polarization?

Following snap parliamentary elections on June 11th, 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 needs consensus if it is to continue necessary reforms on its path to EU membership.

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare discusses the post-election political landscape in Montenegro with Petar Popovic, associate professor at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb.

Will these elections bring the political stability Montenegro requires? Who are potential allies for leading contender PES to form a governing coalition? What factors depressed voter turnout? Finally, what lies in store for former President Djukanovic after dominating Montenegrin political life for over three decades?

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 resume the normalization dialogue facilitated by the EU and supported by the United States.

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks to Hon. Chris Murphy, United States Senator (D-CT), to discuss his recent trip to the region, the messages he delivered to the leaders in Pristina and Belgrade, and the concessions that Kosovo and Serbia should make in order to progress on their respective paths.

How does he view Kosovo's concerns about an unbalanced response by the US and the EU, placing the main responsibility on Kosovo for the crisis in the north? What role could the Association of the Serb Majority Municipalities play in achieving a meaningful resolution? How do the protests in Belgrade and the recent reports on his connections with organized hooligans affect the credibility of Serbia's President Vučić?

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 ensure territorial security.

The decision of Kosovo's Prime Minister to deploy the new mayors in the municipality buildings in the north has led to growing international frustration, causing the Pristina government to alienate strategic allies, including the United States and key members of the European Union. The United States has urged Kosovo's PM to de-escalate the situation by withdrawing the police and relocating the mayors to alternative buildings.

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks to Jovana Radosavljevic, a Kosovo Serb who resides in the north of Kosovo and the Executive Director of the New Social Initiative, and to Agon Maliqi, an analyst from Kosovo.

What steps should be taken to calm the situation and restore the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia? Why are the Kosovo Serbs protesting, and will the establishment of the Association of the Serbs Majority or new elections offer a possible compromise? What potential implications for Kosovo government and its Euro-Atlantic aspiration after the latest stances from the strategic allies?

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 challenged in the Western Balkans?

In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare talks to former Prime Minister and former President of Slovenia Borut Pahor, a friend and unrivaled connoisseur of the region about region's main challenges. What place will the six Western Balkan countries have in the new European security order?

Why is the EU enlargement process vital for the region, and what can be done to boost the confidence of the aspiring countries into the EU membership? Why is Serbia's decision to remain with the West rather than join Russia crucial for the region? Why is the implementation of the agreement to establish an Association of Serbs Municipalities important, and what impact will this agreement have on the relations between Serbia and Kosovo?

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 corruption and upholding the rule of law.

In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare is joined by Dimitar Bechev, Lecturer at Oxford School of Global and Area Studies on implications of another caretaker government for Bulgaria's economic and European outlooks.

What can be expected of the Bulgarian elections? What are the factors that contributed to political instability in Bulgaria? What is the public perception of the political deadlock? Can the outcome of the election impact bilateral dispute with North Macedonia?

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 joined by Jovana Radosavljevic, Executive Director of the New Social Initiative based in Mitrovica, in the north of Kosovo, and Visar Ymeri, Executive Director of the Institute for Social Policy "Musine Kokalari," to discuss the challenges of implementing a proposed agreement for normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia and the expectations for the upcoming Ohrid Summit on March 19.

Why is a deal on normalizaiton of relations between Belgrade and Pristina important for the future of citizens in both countries? How should the Association of Majority-Serb Municipalities (ASM) in Kosovo function? What will the successful implementation of an agreement mean for Kosovo, Kosovo Serbs, and Serbia? How should the everyday needs of citizens be prioritized in the implementation process?

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 territory of Kosovo.

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks with Miroslav Lajčák, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, on this episode of #BalkansDebrief about the latest meeting in Brussels, details of the EU brokered plan, implementation of any future agreement, and the path forward.

What is expected from Serbia and Kosovo? Will these negotiations normalize the relations between the two countries? What are the main stumbling blocks? Is the establishment of the Association of Serb Municipalities based on any European model?