Visnja Vukov
ComparingĀ CentralĀ andĀ EasternĀ EuropeĀ withĀ theĀ WesternĀ Balkans, Visnja Vukov argues that the EUās governance of economic integration is a decisive lever of transformation. When the EU prioritises and credibly enforces these requirements, itĀ constrains rent-seeking and weakens state capture. When the EU defers them, however, governments can entrench clientelist politicalāeconomic coalitions Read more
Rafaela Gonzalez Lucioni
EU enlargement, without credible enforcement of democratic standards, threatens the Unionās integrity. Cases like Hungary and Serbia expose the dangers of performative reforms and weak accountability. Rafaela Gonzalez Lucioni argues that to remain a values-based project, the EU must reform internal mechanisms and adopt a phased, conditional approach to accession Read more
Albrecht Rothacher
On the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre in eastern Bosnia, Albrecht Rothacher looks back at the significance of that event, and the confederal State it produced. Three decades on, can the EU realistically consider Bosnia and Herzegovina as a potential member state? Read more
Asia Leofreddi
A student-led movement is challenging what they claim is the 'capture' of the state by Serbian President Aleksandar VuÄiÄ.āÆAsia LeofreddiāÆreflects on how this uprising, sparked by tragedy and corruption, seeks to transform power structures. While Serbia's political future remains uncertain, the people's call for change grows louder Read more
Ecem Nazlı ĆƧok
Ecem Nazlı ĆƧok explores how student protests in Turkey, Serbia, and Georgia reflect more than isolated unrest ā they reveal a transnational wave of political mourning, democratic erosion, and Gen Z-led resistance. In the face of authoritarianism, students are not just reacting ā they are reimagining the future Read more
Magdalena Kƶnig
Enlargementās symbolic revival after Russiaās full-scale invasion of Ukraine risks repeating past failures. Magdalena Kƶnig warns that without credible timelines and reform momentum, the EU may trap candidates ā old and new ā in an āeternal waiting roomā. Frustration, backsliding, and geopolitical drift are likely unless promises are matched by progress Read more
Mimi MihÄilescu
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but protest visuals, especially during political upheaval, read like novels. Mimi MihÄilescu shows how visuals aren't just for documentation ā they persuade, polarise, and shape public opinion. In Romania, where two protest factions are currently clashing, visuals are on the frontline of political warfare Read more
Milica UvaliÄ
The EU and the Western Balkan countries view enlargement differently. Milica UvaliÄ argues that despite renewed EU engagement since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, misperceptions persist, hindering Western Balkan countriesā accession. Bridging these misunderstandings is crucial to revitalising the process and aligning expectations for a shared European future Read more
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