Will North Macedonia change its constitution? | A debrief with H.E. Bojan Maricikj
Release Date: 09/07/2023
Can Serbia's Lithium Protests Redefine Its Future? | A Debrief with Ivanka Popovic
#BalkansDebrief
As protests against lithium mining intensify across Serbia, fears of environmental damage and distrust in government accountability are uniting citizens like never before. Could this rare unity spark broader democratic change? In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Resident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare explores the roots of this resistance with Ivanka Popovic, founder of the ProGlas movement and professor at the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy at the University of Belgrade. Together, they discuss the environmental, social, and political implications of the controversial Jadar Valley lithium...
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Why is Depopulation a Threat to Balkan Security? | A Debrief with Majlinda Bregu
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Ilva Tare, a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, sits down with Majlinda Bregu, the outgoing Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, in this compelling #BalkansDebrief episode to discuss the current challenges of the region’s integration and cooperation as well as the gap between signing regional agreements and their actual implementation. Bregu highlights pressing issues such as the recognition of professional qualifications and the freedom of movement with ID cards, emphasizing that the effectiveness of these agreements relies heavily on the commitment...
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How was the CEFTA deal secured before the Berlin Process Summit? | A Debrief with Manuel Sarrazin
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A last-minute breakthrough enabled the Western Balkans to sign key regional cooperation agreements at the Berlin Process Summit on October 14 of 2024. This was thanks to the skilled diplomacy of Manuel Sarrazin, Germany’s Special Representative for the Western Balkans, and the political will of regional leaders. In a crucial compromise, Kosovo agreed to lift its ban on Serbian imports at the Merdare crossing. As part of the deal, Germany and its allies pledged to provide advanced scanners to enhance security at Kosovo-Serbia borders, a necessary step that has yet to be implemented. ...
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What’s next for the Berlin Process? | A Debrief with Simonida Kacarska & Klodjan Seferaj
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As the Berlin Process celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024, over 115 organizations gathered at the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum on October 9-11 this year to raise alarms about shrinking civic spaces, threats to democracy, and rising intimidation across the Western Balkans. In this insightful episode of #BalkansDebrief, Ilva Tare, Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, speaks with Simonida Kacarska, Director of the European Policy Institute, and Klodjan Seferaj, Program Manager at the Open Society Foundation Western Balkans, about the forum’s key...
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How do cyber-attacks threaten the Balkans? | A Debrief with Dan Ilazi and Filip Stojanovski
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Cyber-attacks are on the rise in the Western Balkans, with 1.2 million personal records exposed to data breaches and a 200% surge in ransomware attacks over the past two years. Businesses across the region have paid millions of euros to recover compromised data, and 75% of companies report facing phishing attacks. Cyber-actors are exploiting internal ethnic tensions to target reconciliation efforts, while disinformation campaigns undermine democracy, destabilize institutions, and disrupt daily life. In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Ilva Tare, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe...
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What are the challenges for Mickoski's North Macedonia? | A Debrief with Malinka Jordanova, Branimir Jovanovic and Lura Pollozhani
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Following the significant power shift in North Macedonia’s May 8 elections, the VRMO-DPMNE party, led by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski faces a complex landscape. Six renowned experts have crafted a strategy brief for the Atlantic Council, outlining crucial recommendations for the new government, including democratic reforms, the fight against corruption, economic revitalization, EU integration, and addressing rising ethnic tensions. Resident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare engages in a conversation with three of the policy brief’s authors to discuss the country’s reform agenda. Key questions...
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Does the new EU-Serbia lithium deal undermine democracy? A Debrief with Ivan Vejvoda
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The European Union's recent memorandum of understanding with Serbia on raw materials has sparked debate across the Balkans. Signed during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit, the MoU revives a controversial lithium mining project, drawing opposition from many Serbians. In this episode, Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare is joined by Ivan Vejvoda, Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences and Head of Europe’s Futures Project in Vienna, to dissect this complex issue. Does Mr. Vejvoda share the criticism that the EU and Germany are prioritizing lithium access in Serbia over...
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What EU reforms will make enlargement successful? A Debrief with Enrico Letta
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Why should Europe focus on the Balkans? What are the potential opportunities and challenges for EU enlargement and the Growth Plan for this region? Join Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare in this episode of #BalkansDebrief as she interviews Enrico Letta, former Prime Minister of Italy and current President of the Institut Jacques Delors. With his extensive experience in European Union affairs and his recent influential report on the future of the Single Market, Mr. Letta provides deep insights into the necessary reforms for successful EU enlargement. In this episode, Mr. Letta...
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Where next for Serbian foreign policy? | A Debrief with Igor Bandovic and Nikola Burazer
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For decades, the United States and Serbia have engaged in a delicate diplomatic dance. Recently, Serbian think tank representatives visited Washington, DC, for critical talks with US policymakers. Their agenda? Navigating the complexities of Serbia's democratic health and evolving foreign policy, including unpacking its shifting alliances with Russia and China, and how these relationships impact Serbia's aspirations for membership in the European Union (EU). Ilva Tare is joined in this episode of #BalkansDebrief by Igor Bandovic, Director of the Belgrade Center for Security...
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Do Balkan nationalist chants at EURO 2024 fuel ethnic tensions? | A Debrief with Florian Bieber
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Football and politics are deeply intertwined, especially in the Balkans, where the mix can be volatile. At the UEFA Euro Cup in Germany this year, nationalistic chants and provocative acts highlighted the ongoing tensions among Balkan nations. Serbia, Albania, and Croatia clashed not only in the stadiums but also in a display of ethnic rivalries. In this episode Ilva Tare is joined by Florian Bieber, a renowned historian and professor at the University of Graz, specializing in inter-ethnic relations and nationalism in the Balkans. They discuss the complex role of football as both a catalyst...
info_outlineAhead of a crucial vote to amend its constitution, Skopje’s political landscape remains sharply divided. The current government strongly supports the changes, which will add language in recognition of the country's Bulgarian minority, while the opposition remains vehemently opposed. Even a pro-amendment campaign by EU and US diplomats has yet to tip the scales in favor of the amendment's adoption.
Just as the country voted to change its name before becoming a NATO member, adopting this constitutional amendment is considered to be North Macedonia’s exclusive path to EU membership. The government is therefore engaging in an open dialogue with opposition members in the hopes that a difficult compromise can be reached for the sake of progress.
Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks to the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Maricikj on the pressing questions surrounding North Macedonia’s accession to the EU. What is the public's sentiment regarding the constitutional changes, and are North Macedonian politicians prepared to make tough choices to further EU integration? Does Skopje’s government have any contingency plans in case the amendment is defeated by the Parliament? How credible is the indicative date of 2030 as the deadline for accession of the Western Balkan countries?