Independent journalism and civil society are vibrant in the Balkans. Yet kleptocracy and corruption stifle the region’s progress and the prospects for individual EU accession. Leila Bičakčić, executive director of the Centre for Investigative Reporting (CIN) in Sarajevo, joins RUSI Europe’s Kinga Redlowska to discuss the multifaceted challenges of illicit finance in the Balkans, including the region’s complex history, the influence of Russia and China, and the implications for Europe and beyond.