US Engagement in Balkans Fades
Contrary to the expectations, hopes and fears of many in the Balkans, the Trump administration has been conspicuously absent from the region in its second term. In most Balkan countries, the US still does not have newly appointed ambassadors.
Yet the low level of engagement by Trump’s team does not mean there is no engagement at all. In the first of her monthly despatches from Washington, Jovana Djurovic takes a look at what the current administration is – and is not – doing in the region.
Kosovo’s Political Stalemate Persists
More than eight months since the elections, Kosovo has at long last completed the process of constituting its new parliament. Still, the odds that the country will get a new government remain low.
Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, as the leader of the biggest party in the new parliament, has been given a mandate to form a government. But the chasm between his party and the opposition is huge – and he seems to be making little effort even to start coalition negotiations. Is Kosovo heading towards early elections?
UK’s Continued Interest in Balkan EU Accession
The UK may have left the EU, but it still has a keen interest in the Balkan region’s EU accession processes. Bemusing as it may seem, this week London hosts the latest summit of the Berlin Process, launched by Angela Merkel in 2014 to support these accession processes.
In her opinion piece for Balkan Insight, Marika Djolai looks at where London’s continuing interest in the region dovetails with its own domestic interests. Illegal migration is a key intersection.
Read more: Why Britain Needs the Western Balkans Summit to Deliver on Migration (October 21, 2025)
North Macedonia’s Ruling Parties Triumph
Following the first round of local elections in North Macedonia last weekend, both the ruling Macedonian and ethnic Albanian parties have reason to be pleased. VMRO DPMNE trounced its main rival, the SDSM, while the ethnic Albanian VLEN saw off a strong challenge from the opposition DUI.
Run-offs will take place in just under two weeks’ time. But it already seems as if the pressure for early parliamentary elections, which some foresaw in the event of a DUI win, has largely evaporated.
Legal Threats to Balkan Journalists
The use of aggressive lawsuits is a growing problem facing media and journalists in the Balkans. Their chief aim is preventing journalists from holding those in power to account. Their other aim is to intimidate journalists and tie them up in endless court cases and legal fees.
In an interview with BIRN, Flutura Kusari, from the European Centre for Press and Media Freedoms, argues that the EU must take a tougher stand against their use.
Read more: EU Must Act Against Legal Bullying of Balkan Journalists: Media Lawyer (October 21, 2025)
The Harsh Reality of ‘The Game’
Croatia’s border with the rest of the Western Balkans has for years been one of the main entry points for migrants seeking to enter the EU. Due to its increasing militarisation and the numerous obstacles Croatia has erected to those seeking to cross it illegally, many migrants refer to the process of crossing as ‘the game’.
This is also the title of a new book by activist selma banich. As the book highlights, there is nothing fun about this particular ‘game’ – and a lot that is violent and inhumane.
Source
This article is sourced from Balkan Insight, authored by Milos Damnjanovic, published on October 24, 2025.