The international system is undergoing profound changes and one of the main ones is the growth of China’s global influence, which is gradually turning into a source of influence comparable to the United States. This process is accompanied by the growth of China’s political and economic presence in different regions of the world. Europe is no exception, but this process varies greatly in different countries, with some countries only cautiously developing ties with China while others seek to expand them as much as possible.

In July 2023, Serbian Defence Minister Miloš Vučević, and now Serbian Prime Minister, publicly accused Türkiye of training, arming and conducting military drills with the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF), Kosovo’s crisis response formation with the explicit purpose of transforming the KSF into full-fledged army by the year 2028.

Bilateral disputes between European Union member states and candidate countries are one of the key obstacles to EU enlargement. They have been plaguing the EU accession process ever since the breakup of Yugoslavia and the subsequent border dispute between EU member Slovenia and candidate country Croatia which then ensued. More recently we have the case of North Macedonia. It became a candidate country in 2005 but ever since, its accession negotiations have been bogged down by endless bilateral disputes.

Bilateral disputes between European Union member states and candidate countries are one of the key obstacles to EU enlargement. They have been plaguing the EU accession process ever since the breakup of Yugoslavia and the subsequent border dispute between EU member Slovenia and candidate country Croatia which then ensued. More recently we have the case of North Macedonia. It became a candidate country in 2005 but ever since, its accession negotiations have been bogged down by endless bilateral disputes.

In the past few years, a growing number of policy- and decision-makers seem to have heeded the tireless efforts of gender advocates: there is a strong interest in feminist perspectives and gender equality efforts, at least rhetorically.

The half-day conference titled “Behind the Scenes of the Balkan Defence Policies,” organised by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, was the opportunity to present and discuss the main findings of the latest edition of the Balkan Defence Monitor.

We present you the new Balkan Defence Monitor - independent and comprehensive source of information regarding defence topics in the region.

Are you passionate about your work and about making your community a better place? Do you want to look at the future of the Western Balkans from the perspectives of academic research, the arts, business, journalism, politics, and sports to better understand why the region is the way it is and how the different perspectives can help find solutions to local and regional issues that need to change? Are you interested in joining a growing Network of active individuals from across the Western Balkans who are making a difference in their communities, but also building lasting connections within their countries and across the region? If you think you are the right candidate for this program, we invite you to apply for the Regional Youth Partnerships!

Turkey’s more assertive posture towards the Balkans is neglected compared to the commentariat that deals with Russia and China. To fill this policy gap, the research team of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) has conducted research based on the analysis of secondary source material and, even more importantly, on fieldwork interviews that involved 16 sources, academics and think tank researchers based in Istanbul and Ankara.