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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · 28d

Tudjman to Thompson: Croatia’s Growing Struggle with Extremism and Identity

In flirting with and sometimes embracing the far-right, critics say Croatia’s ruling HDZ party is playing with fire.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · 29d

European Commission, MEPs Criticise Serbia Over Protest Crackdown

The European bloc’s enlargement commissioner questioned whether Serbia remains committed to achieving EU membership, as MEPs debating the protests in the Balkan state condemned what they called “police brutality”.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · 29d

Israeli Minister’s Visit Amid Gaza War Sparks Dispute in Croatia

President and some opposition parties condemn Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's visit to Croatia, accusing the Zagreb government of supporting Israel's 'policy of violence'.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · 29d

Bulgaria Rights Activists Win Case at ECHR Over Online Threats

Strasbourg court says Bulgarian authorities failed to investigate online death threats posted in 2015 about three Bulgarian human rights activists.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · 29d

Turkish Lawfare: Erdogan Uses Courts to Crack Opposition Party’s Resolve

Government strategy against its main rival is to use court rulings to divide it and replace its leaders, rather than supress it altogether.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · 29d

Romania Grills Moldovan Ex-Intelligence Official Suspected of Spying for Belarus

Alexandru Balan's detention in Romania forms part of a wider crackdown on a suspected Belarusian spy network.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · 29d

From Putin’s Pal to Zelensky’s Frosty Neighbour: Slovak PM’s Awkward Double Life

Prime Minister Robert Fico appeared at ease with Russia’s leader in Beijing, only to strike a far more cautious tone days later in Uzhhorod with Ukraine’s president.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · 29d

Recent Arrests in Bosnia Underscore Threat from AI-Generated Explicit Images

A helpline in Bosnia and Herzegovina says it is receiving more and more calls from mainly girls reporting image-based sexual abuse, sometimes involving artificial intelligence.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · 29d

Clan Capitalism: Albania’s Privileged Investors and Their Seaside Villas

Instead of stimulating investment in agriculture or energy, critics say a 2015 ‘special law’ on strategic investment in Albania has simply made it easier and more profitable for certain privileged businesspeople to build luxury villas on the coast.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 8

Turkish Police Enter Opposition HQ to Disperse Protesters and MPs

Riot police used tear gas to enter the main opposition party’s Istanbul headquarters, where MPs and party leaders barricaded themselves inside.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 8

Fugitive Moldovan Oligarch’s Extradition From Greece Faces Delays

Greece has confirmed it intends to extradite Vladimir Plahotniuc back to Moldova – but no date for the transfer has been set, amid claims that Moldova's authorities are playing politics with the timing.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 8

EU Data Show Asylum Applications Fall 23% in First Half of 2025

The new data comes as anti-immigration parties across Europe gain support, including in Czechia where a general election will be held next month.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 8

Monday Briefing from the Balkans: September 8, 2025

Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 8

Hate Speech Grips Divided Moldova Ahead of Key Election

Experts warn that a wave of hate speech spreading from online platforms in the runup to September’s elections risks ending in serious acts of violence.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 8

Albania’s TikTok Ban Widely Flouted, Even by Allies of PM

Halfway into a 12-month ban on TikTok in Albania, anecdotal evidence suggests the prohibition is being widely flouted while the government remains silent on promised filters to weed out ‘undesirable’ content.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 8

North Macedonia’s Rival Albanian Parties Battle for Supremacy in Election

October’s local polls are shaping into a bareknuckle fight between two ethnic Albanian blocs, each claiming to be the community’s ‘authentic’ representative.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 6

Violence Erupts After Police Move on Serbia Protest

Police made multiple arrests at a student-led demonstration in Novi Sad on Friday night, which descended into violence following a police intervention.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 5

Despite Court Rulings, School Segregation Endures in Parts of Bosnia

In two of 10 cantons in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Federation entity, ethnic segregation persists in primary and secondary schools three decades after the end of the war.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 5

Kosovo Court Imposes New Ban on Parliament Over Deputy Speaker Logjam

Court again bans MPs from forming institutions deriving from the February elections while it considers a complaint about the failure to elect a deputy speaker from the Serb community, as guaranteed in the constitution.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 5

Week in Review: Deadlocks, Unexpected Twists and New Approaches

Our selection of Premium stories this week looks at the challenges facing the region as the summer season winds down and business-as-usual resumes.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 5

ARTE Europe Weekly: How Do We Save Europe’s Universities?

Government budget cuts and spiralling costs mean that many universities across Europe have severe financial deficits.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 5

Albanian-Language Film’s Disruption in Montenegro Alarms EU

EU Delegation voices concern for freedom of expression after young men halt screening of movie shown as part of street film festival.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 5

Report Raises Fears for Serbia’s Last Dissenting Media Voices

A leaked recording has triggered alarm over the fate of a group of media outlets in Serbia that represent some of the last voices of dissent, just as President Aleksandar Vucic is mulling elections.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 5

Democracy Digest: Fico Laughs with a Tyrant in Beijing

Elsewhere, Trump suggests to Nawrocki that US could even increase the number of troops it has stationed in Poland; Babis injured on campaign trail after elderly Czech man hits him on the head with a crutch; and Hungarians are still strong EU supporters.

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balkandesk.bsky.social @balkandesk.bsky.social · Sep 5

Balkan Political Discourse ‘Encouraging’ Online Hate Towards LGBTQ+ People

LGBTQ+ Pride events in the Balkans are attracting waves of online hatred from social media users who, directly or not, take their cue from political leaders who are openly hostile to diversity.

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