Western Balkans

Hungary in the EU: From front runner to veto player

  • Josef Janning
  • Commentary

A convincing victory for Victor Orban will reinforce the Hungarian veto role in the EU. However, the country has only marginal influence beyond its neighbourhood on EU policies.

The EU as seen from Serbia

  • Tanja Miscevic
  • View from the Council

The EU has taken steps to protect itself from the risks of expansion, but must not lose sight of the value that countries like Serbia can add to the European project

Kosovo: The need for dialogue

  • Robert Cooper
  • Commentary

The 10th anniversary of independence is a good moment for Kosovo to look forward and ask what sort of state it wants to be

Overseeing Kosovo’s conditional independence

  • Pieter Feith
  • Commentary

The lesson of Kosovo's transition to independence is the value of the ‘ICO model’; a timebound mandate and a commitment to local ownership, transparency and respect

Why Ukraine should become a Balkan country

  • Günther Fehlinger, Andreas Umland
  • Commentary

Ukrainian politicians, diplomats, journalists and intellectuals should start paying more attention to how the countries of South-Eastern Europe (SEE) are currently preparing for their entry into the European Union. Kyiv can accelerate its own European integration by entering a number of SEE cooperation formats specifically designed to prepare the Western Balkan states for their future EU membership. 

Curtain comes down on Balkan Hague tribunals

  • Francisco de Borja Lasheras
  • Commentary

Many crimes remain unanswered for, but with the Hague phase essentially over, it is about time for the difficult process of reconciliation