Bulgaria in 2026: New Money, Old Political Problems
Bulgarians are bracing for the eight parliamentary election since 2021 and a vote for a new president, amid warnings that Gen Z anger is at boiling point. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
North Macedonia Village Carnival Mixes Ancient Tradition With Modern Satire
Part pagan ritual and part political satire, one of the most famous village festivals in the Balkans, the Vevcani carnival, goes ahead in North Macedonia on Tuesday and Wednesday. KAYNAK:…
Why Is Hungary Granting Political Asylum to Former Polish Ministers?
The Hungarian government is likely trying to curry favour with Poland’s PiS party by granting asylum to former government figures facing trial at home. But a change of government in…
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…