Serbia in 2026: Embattled President Mulls High-Stakes Elections
Under pressure at home and abroad, President Aleksandar Vucic has indicated elections will be held in 2026, but what comes next is still anyone’s guess. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
With Europe Hungry for Lithium, Will Serbia Say No to Mining?
Rio Tinto’s decision to suspend a controversial lithium mining project in Serbia does not mean that interest in the critical mineral has evaporated, environmental protection expert Mirko Popovic tells BIRN.…
From Discontent to Regime Collapse, Bulgaria Had a Rollercoaster Year
2025 started with a new government and ended with a surge of unrest causing the government’s unexpected fall – overshadowing Bulgaria’s long-awaited accession to the Eurozone. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Democracy Digest: EU Summit Agrees €90 Billion Loan to Ukraine Without Central Europe
Elsewhere, tensions in Slovak-Hungarian relations rise over Benes Decrees; Slovakia’s top court declares two pieces of coalition legislation unconstitutional; Polish president to meet Ukrainian counterpart in Warsaw on Friday; and…
Kosovo’s 2025 Ends as it Began, at the Ballot Box
Something for the curiosity books: voters in Kosovo have been called to parliamentary polls twice within the calendar year after politicians failed to form a government after the first, in…
In Croatia in 2025, the Right Rises – and So Do Prices
There was success for the centre-right HDZ at local elections this year and a headline-grabbing mega-gig by nationalist singer Thompson, while consumers angry about the cost of living tried to…
Democracy Digest: Babis Appointed Czech PM But Fate of Motorists’ Turek Unclear
Elsewhere, legislative chaos as Slovak government rams through laws and president wields veto; yet another scandal in Hungary exposes government’s hollow ‘child-friendly’ narrative; and Poland invited to become first in…
Human Rights Watch Blames Bulgaria’s ’Toxic Air’ on Delayed Coal Phaseout
Report says Bulgaria's coal-fired electricity plants violate EU air-quality rules and are putting lives at risk – and calls for a faster energy transition away from fossil fuels. KAYNAK: Balkan…
Democracy Digest: Polish President Cancels Meeting with Orban at V4
Elsewhere, Slovak culture minister gets court injunction to stop former National Theatre director making any public statements about her; Czech president to appoint Babis PM on Tuesday; and Polish PM…
Serbian Oil Refinery Suspends Production Due to US Sanctions
A refinery that supplies most of the Serbian market has halted work due to US sanctions imposed on the mainly Russian-owned company NIS over the war against Ukraine. KAYNAK: Balkan…