Slovakia in 2026: A Year of Further Polarisation
Though not an election year, the country's prime minister warned in his New Year address that political divisions would become “even more visible” in 2026. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Court Blunder in Hague War Crimes Trial Could Jeopardise Fairness
The Kosovo Special Court’s decision to deny a request from Hashim Thaci and his co-defendants for a separate sentencing hearing – if they are found guilty – is deeply concerning…
‘Fiscal Peace’: Albanian Amnesty for Tax-Dodging Businesses Branded Unfair and Opaque
Albania’s government is poised to waive business tax debts more than a decade old, as part of what it says is a reset in relations between the tax authorities and…
North Macedonia Budget Cuts ‘Put Rare Disease Patients at Risk’
Looming cuts to a vital healthcare programme threaten the lives of some of the country’s most vulnerable people, Vesna Aleksovska, head of the Association of Citizens with Rare Diseases, tells…
Montenegro in 2026: EU Accession Hopes Building Despite Judiciary Doubts
Montenegro hopes to finish EU negotiations by the end of 2026 and join the bloc two years later, but it must do more than just tick boxes, experts warn. KAYNAK:…
Higher Wages, Even Higher Prices: Bosnia’s Cost-of-Living Trap
While minimum wages have risen sharply in both Bosnian entities, prices have risen faster, deepening the pressure on households, economist Igor Gavran warns. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Ethnic Albanian Journalist Recalls Threats, Harassment as Yugoslavia Unravelled
As an ethnic Albanian journalist in the 1980s and 1990s, Dijana Toska faced threats, censorship and harassment from authorities in Pristina and her Macedonian hometown Skopje - before, during and…
North Macedonia Plans Tough New Law to Curb Smoking
New draft law aims to drastically tighten restrictions on smoking, and on advertising nicotine products, amid stubbornly high consumption rates. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Czechia in 2026: New Leadership Steers Country into Unchartered Waters
The new Czech government, in both form and content, is doing little in the way of alleviating concerns and uncertainties about what’s in store. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Greek Defence Doctrine Shift Not So Much ‘Heretical’ as Inevitable
A more holistic approach to defence announced by Greece’s defence minister is only logical in light of what the world has witnessed on recent battlefields. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight