#BalkansDebrief

What is the path forward for the stalled Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue?

As dialogue between the two countries is stalled and the region expects anxiously the EU Council decision on accession talks, Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Ivan Vejvoda, Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences and a seasoned observer of the Western Balkans to continue the conversation on the future of the dialogue and EU enlargement.

This episode broadens the aperture on these issues: What is the sentiment of Serbian citizens on the recognition of the independent state of Kosovo? Does Serbia have the political will and leadership to make a final deal between Belgrade and Pristina? Will the EU make a bold decision on EU enlargement for the region?

What is the path forward for the stalled Belgrade–Pristina dialogue?

The dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo has stalled and the two countries seem to be in a state of unfinished conflict. The Europe Center's Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks to Veton Surroi, a well know publicist and former politician from Kosovo, about the path forward for both countries.

What can be done to change the status quo and start a productive dialogue? Should Kurti's government participate in regional and European initiatives? What should Kosovo do to make the most of the Berlin Process 2.0?

Will Bulgaria relinquish its veto over North Macedonia's EU accession?

As the June European Council meeting is approaching, Bulgaria continues to block North Macedonia's opening of accession negotiations with the EU. The Atlantic Council Europe Center's Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia Nikola Dimitrov on his expectations for this meeting.

Will the EU begin accession negotiations with North Macedonia after a 17 year wait for the country? Will Bulgaria's decision on North Macedonia have an impact on the Balkans' European dream? What are the different scenarios for moving forward European enlargement and is a two-staged accession a realistic idea?

What are the regional ramifications of Serbia's gas agreement with Russia?

The three-year agreement announced by Serbian President Vučić with Russia's Gazprom is a sharp contrast to other EU and candidate countries that have joined the sanctions against Putin for his war in Ukraine. The Atlantic Council Europe Center's Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews the Global Energy Center's Olga Khakova on the ramifications of this agreement to Serbia, the region, and beyond.

What are the implications of this decision for Europe and the Balkans? What does Vucic's gas deal with Putin signify for Serbia's relationship with Russia? Is the EU's oil-import ban enough to affect Putin's revenues which he uses to fund his war in Ukraine?

What is the future of EU enlargement?

While the EU enlargement process is stalled because of one country's refusal to initiate accession talks with potential new members, old proposals for breaking the impasse are gaining popularity. The Atlantic Council Europe Center's Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews the European Stability Initiative's Gerald Knaus on the two-stage EU accession idea.

What would it mean for Western Balkan countries to first join the EU's single market before becoming full EU member states? In which ways can candidate countries benefit from the EU's unified economic policies? Will EU leaders agree to reform the Union in a way that makes the accession process more realistic?