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
BIRN Reality Check: Kosovo-Serbia Normalisation Deal Still Unimplemented
Experts say obstacles created by both Serbia and Kosovo, as well as EU passivity, are most to blame for the failure to take the 2023 normalisation deal between the two…
ARTE Europe Weekly: What Does Adopting the Euro Mean for Bulgaria
Bulgaria has just joined the Eurozone, but amidst a deep political crisis and substantial domestic opposition to the European single currency, not everyone was celebrating. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
BIRN in 2025: Covering the Stories That Matter
From hard-fought elections to mass protests across the Balkans, BIRN’s journalists were on the spot as events unfolded in 2025 – while providing deeper insights into vital issues affecting the…
Bosnian Serbs Defy Court Ban With Another January 9 Parade
Despite the January 9 celebrations being ruled unconstitutional, the Bosnian Serb entity, Republika Srpska, again marked the day with a mass parade in Banja Luka. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Democracy Digest: Fico Criticizes US While Orban Dissembles
Elsewhere, Mercedes to move entire A-Klasse manufacturing from Germany to Hungary; Slovak far-right agitator Bombic to face trial; Poland gets serious about prosecuting hate crimes; and ammo initiative for Ukraine…
Port-to-Port: How Albanians Conquered the European Cocaine Market
BIRN reporters trace the rise of Albanian crime gangs to the top of the European cocaine trafficking ladder, from remote parts of Paraguay to European Union ports. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
BIRN Reality Check: Romania Misses Target in Cutting Public Deficit
Official pledges to rein in the surging public deficit have so far fallen well short of expectations, according to data and EU assessments. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight