The Evolving Role of the European Political Community

Host: Donika Emini, BiEPAG Member

Guests:

Odeta Barbullushi, Resident Professor at the College of Europe, Tirana Campus, and BiEPAG member

Tristan Aureau, Director, Centre for Analysis, Planning and Strategy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France.

Donika Emini, BiEPAG member and co-host of this episode, discusses the evolving role of the European Political Community, a forum born out of crisis, now standing at a critical juncture. With Albania hosting the sixth summit in Tirana, and Europe faces simultaneous security challenges from Ukraine to the Middle East, and regional frictions in the Western Balkans, the question is urgent.

Can the European Political Community help the European unity in an age of uncertainty?

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What the new German Government means for the Balkans?

Host: Florian Bieber

Guests: Frauke Seebass,Visiting Fellow, SWP & Associate Researcher, DGAP and Adi Ćeramagić, Senior Analyst, ESI

The new German government of Friedrich Merz announced in its coalition agreement that it would prioritize reforms over enlargement. What this means for the Western Balkans and how the new government is expected to handle the key challenges in the region, from the mass protests in Serbia to the political crisis in Bosnia is the topic of Seriously Balkans.

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Kosovo’s 2025 Parliamentary Elections and the Shifting Geopolitical Landscape

Host: Damir Kapidžić, member of BiEPAG

Guests: Donika Emini, member of BiEPAG and Gëzim Krasniqi, Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh

On February 9th, 2025, Kosovo held Parliamentary elections, the first after a full government term since independence. Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s party, which previously won a landslide victory, secured around 40% of the vote this time, making a coalition government likely. Kurti’s tenure has been marked by tense relations with Belgrade, as well as a complicated dynamic with the EU and the US.

What can we expect from a possible second term for Kurti, and how will the rise of a new, more aggressive US foreign policy under President Trump impact its relation towards Kosovo and the Western Balkans? What is the role of the EU and will it be able to step up its commitment towards Kosovo? To unpack the election results and their broader implications, we are joined by Gëzim Krasniqi, Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, and Donika Emini, a member of BiEPAG. Tune in for a deep dive into Kosovo’s evolving political landscape.

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Student Protests in Serbia

Host: Florian Bieber, BiEPAG Coordinator

Guests: Danica (anonymous based on the request of the student plenum), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade

Student (anonymous based on the request of the student plenum), Philosophical Faculty, University of Belgrade

We want to change the country, so we don’t have to leave the country, is a central theme of the thousands of students and other citizens filling the streets of Serbia. In the largest protests in Serbia and the entire region for decades, students, joined by other citizens, have been on the street for three months. In addition to commemorating the 15 victims of the collapse of the canopy at the Novi Sad train station, they demand that the institutions investigate the causes of the accident and publish the details that led to it. Beyond that, the protests have become a rallying point for demands for the rule of law and democracy. Florian Bieber discusses the demands, the protests themselves and the atmosphere with two student representatives from the University of Belgrade.

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Croatia’s Role in the Region: Continuity or Change?

Host: Tena Prelec, BiEPAG Member

Guests: First part: Oliver Kannenberg (Research associate at IParl, Berlin) and Željko Poljak (PhD researcher and a member of the M²P, University of Antwerp)

Second part: Damir Kapidžić and Jovana Marović, BiEPAG Members

Croatia often distances itself from the Western Balkans label, yet its political weight in the region is undeniable. In this episode, we unpack the country’s domestic political landscape post-presidential elections and its role in shaping key regional developments—from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s electoral reform to Montenegro’s EU accession process. Is Croatia a stabilising force, a destructive influence, a self-interested actor, or something else entirely?

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How do geopolitical interests impact democracy in the Balkans?

Discussing how geopolitical interest shape the democracy in the Balkans, specifically the role of economic and informal political linkages of the countries of the region and EU, but also Russia and China.

Host: Damir Kapidžić

Guests: Milica Uvalić (Visiting Fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies RSC at the European University Institute EUI in Florence Italy) and Alexander Mesarovich (Max Weber Fellow, European University Institute).

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What do the results of the 2024 EU elections mean for the Western Balkans?

Host: Damir Kapidžić, BiEPAG Member

Guests: Dušan Reljić, Independent consultant and former Head of Brussels office for SWP and Corina Stratulat, BiEPAG Member and Associate Director and Head of the European Politics and Institutions Programme at the European Policy Centre, Brussels.

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