Miruna Butnaru-Troncotă
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine forced the EU to revive its enlargement agenda, but growing politicisation risks sidelining the Western Balkans yet again. Miruna Butnaru Troncotă argues that the EU's future credibility and cohesion hinge on treating Western Balkan integration just as urgently as Eastern enlargement Read more
Zeynep Şahin Mencütek
The European Commission has proposed a new system for returning third-country nationals staying illegally in the EU: sending them to designated holding areas before deportation. Zeynep Şahin Mencütek and Soner Barthoma explain why its plan will not work Read more
Magdalena König
Enlargement’s symbolic revival after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine risks repeating past failures. Magdalena König warns that without credible timelines and reform momentum, the EU may trap candidates — old and new — in an ‘eternal waiting room’. Frustration, backsliding, and geopolitical drift are likely unless promises are matched by progress Read more
Milica Uvalić
The EU and the Western Balkan countries view enlargement differently. Milica Uvalić argues that despite renewed EU engagement since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, misperceptions persist, hindering Western Balkan countries’ accession. Bridging these misunderstandings is crucial to revitalising the process and aligning expectations for a shared European future Read more
Maria Giulia Amadio Viceré
EU enlargement could address collective action problems and stabilise its neighbourhood, but stalled accession processes may make full membership unlikely. Maria Giulia Amadio Viceré and Matteo Bonomi suggest that partial integration — engaging candidate countries in EU policies without membership — will remain the EU's main strategy for managing internal and regional crises Read more
Dušan Spasojević
Using the example of the Serbian Progressive Party, Dušan Spasojević shows how populism can be driven by blurred ideological standpoints. At the same time, it can occupy a centrist position in the party system and enter the political mainstream Read more
Lena Surzhko-Harned
The Kosovo war helped consolidate the Responsibility to Protect norm. But Lena Surzhko-Harned and Jiří Nykodým argue that it also created the 'Kosovo precedent' used to undermine international law. Russia has often exploited this narrative to justify its current war in Ukraine Read more
Vassilis Petsinis
Euroscepticism manifests itself in different ways in the Balkans. Why? Vassilis Petsinis argues that grasping the differences between attitudes in different Balkan nations helps explain Serbia’s long and complex EU accession process Read more
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