Week in Review: Plots, Twists and Chaos
Expecting the unexpected seems to be the name of the game in both global politics and the domestic politics of the region, as 2026 kicks off with a few unexpected…
Letter from Washington: Trump Scores Big on Small Balkan Playing Field
Keen to show loyalty to the US president, some Balkan states signed up to Donald Trump’s contentious ‘Board of Peace’. Others, meanwhile, are looking to the US for new business…
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: January 26, 2026
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Turkey in 2026: Turbulence at Home, Uncertainty Abroad
An intensifying crackdown on the opposition and progress in the thorny Kurdish peace process may define Turkey’s political year - but outside developments may overshadow domestic initiatives. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Turkish Leader‘s Deal with Kurdish Militants is About ‘Keeping Him in Power‘: Expert
Political expert Salim Cevik argues that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s peaceable outreach to Kurdish militants and his deepening crackdown on the opposition have the same goal – perpetuating his…
Exposing Scams, Probing the Powerful: A Year of BIRN Investigations
As 2026 begins, we look back on some of the most important investigations published by BIRN in its 20th anniversary year – from brutal migrant-smuggling gangs and arms deals with…
Turkish Media Regulator Embraces New Role: Stifling Dissent
Vowing to protect the nation’s moral welfare, the Radio and Television Supreme Council imposes content takedowns, temporary bans and financial sanctions in line with the Turkish authorities’ ongoing crackdown on…
Turkey’s Cybersecurity Problem: Governance, Culture and Coordination
Despite fresh tweaks to Turkey’s cybersecurity infrastructure, mass data breaches continue. No surprise, say experts, when policy is not implemented and the security culture goes unchallenged. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Satirical Magazine’s Demise Highlights Turkey’s Free Speech Decline
The downfall of a much-loved satirical cartoon magazine over a comic strip that hardliners claimed ‘insulted religious values’ suggests that humour and caricature are among the many casualties of ongoing…