This Brief shows that, in the case of the Western Balkans, improving resilience requires a careful analysis of how the enlargement process can be adapted and improved in order to maintain its transformative power, as well as ensure that reforms are both sustainable and irreversible.

This Brief focuses on enhancing state resilience in the energy sector across the Western Balkans and shows how a transition to fully transparent and open energy markets is only possible through regulatory and legislative reform and the establishment of a financially attractive environment for...

This Alert examines recent negative political developments in the Western Balkans, against the backdrop of a worrying drift towards illiberal authoritarianism in countries of the region. It argues that if local political actors do not take tangible steps towards reform to address the ongoing...

This Brief focuses on the phenomenon of foreign fighters originating from the Western Balkans, and how countries in the region apply double standards in this regard, categorising Islamist foreign fighters as terrorists, whereas right-wing nationalist combatants who have fought in Ukraine are...

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia had not yet fully recovered from the recent constitutional crisis when new details emerged revealing the acute governance problems besetting the country. Following the change of government, the Ministry of Transport and Communication has blocked the...

Four years after Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the 'New Silk Road' initiative in 2013, the main thrust of the infrastructure projects has been in Asia. However, the Western Balkans is also becoming increasingly involved in related discussions and projects on its western end.

This Alert seeks to draw attention to the often overlooked problem of Islamic extremist movements in the Balkans. Given the region's moderate traditions, why are radical Islamist groups now proving so popular?

After several years of being largely absent from the agenda, the Western Balkans is back in focus largely due to the refugee crisis. How has this changed the way in which states from the region deal with each other and with the EU?

This analytical report provides an overview of cyber-enabled hybrid interference in the Western Balkans, along with recommendations on how to improve approaches to effectively counter these threats. To this end, the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) designed and conducted a...