The EU-Balkan Summit in Sofia, conceived as Thessaloniki 2, is very disappointing because there has been no reaffirmation of the prospects of Balkan countries' membership in the EU, says Toby Vogel, a researcher of the Brussels-based Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS) for Radio Free Europe, daily Blic reports.
EU foreign ministers are meeting on Monday in Luxembourg, with the Western Balkans among the items on their agenda.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini addressed reporters ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council to announce that this will be "a chance with to exchange views on how to better work with our partners in the Western Balkans for our common security and prosperity."
The 2018 Media Literacy index of the Open Society Institute in Sofia says Balkan countries are the most susceptible in Europe to 'fake' news – owing to their highly controlled media, low educational levels and low levels of trust in society.
Te latest World Happiness Report suggests the people of most Balkan countries have little to smile about.
With the partial exception of Romania, the Balkans is not a very happy part of the planet, according to the latest World Happiness Report 2018, produced by the UN’s sustainable development solutions network, SDSN.
Women's rights organisations from the Balkans are marking International Women’s Day, on March 8, with a series of rallies designed to raise awareness of discrimination, violence and unfair treatment.
Women's rights activists all over the Balkans will be leading other rights organisations and leftist groups at a series of rallies on Thursday, marking International Women’s Day and demanding better rights and more equal treatment.
The Balkans are returning onto America’s radar screen as threats to regional stability and European integrity mount. To prevent a dangerous spiral of escalation, Washington must pursue a more vigorous strategy to help secure the remaining states within Western institutions and curtail Russia’s spreading subversion.
Professor and expert for the Balkans Daniel Serwer, in an interview with the Belgrade weekly NIN, says that Vucic threatens with Russia and loses the direction in normalizing relations with Kosovo, as well as that it seems to him that the President of Serbia chooses the wrong chair.
Russia will continue to try to influence the events in the Balkans, where Serbia is its most important link that serves as a launching ground.
This is according to Beta, which quoted Mark Galeotti of the Institute of International Relations Prague, who spoke for Radio Free Europe's Bosnia-Herzegovina/Serbia/Montenegro service.
All talk, no action? Cooperative economic projects have been the hot topic ahead of a conference between leaders from the EU and Western Balkan countries. But EU expansion in the region remains as elusive as ever.
Serbian Government's Office for Kosovo and Metohija head on Thursday suggested that the Balkans should adopt the slogan, "the Balkans for the Balkan people."
However, he continued, "this does not mean isolationism - but instead making connections with the West and the East, to the benefit of citizens."