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Hardening attitudes may obstruct Sofia-Skopje solution

Location:

BULGARIA/NORTH MACEDONIA

The annexe aims to prevent Bulgaria vetoing the EU-NM inter-governmental conference (IGC) in December. Working groups from both foreign ministries have been created to discuss…

Russia will remain popular in parts of eastern EU

Location:

EU

Polls show strong sympathy for Moscow in Bulgaria and in Hungary as well. Pro-Russian attitudes result in weak public buy-in for Western sanctions in all three countries and…

Zagreb will leverage Belgrade's EU bid

Location:

CROATIA/SERBIA

Many politicians and people who suffered in the wars of the 1990s in both countries will see the ICJ decision as a miscarriage of justice. The current tense relations between…

North Macedonia vote may delay move to free EU impasse

Location:

NORTH MACEDONIA

Polls suggest the opposition Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation-Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) will win the parliamentary elections, although the…

Hungarian Fidesz illiberalism will defy EU criticism

Location:

HUNGARY

The EP vote could in theory lead to sanctions under Article 7 of the EU Treaty (TEU). An 'illiberal state' has emerged in Hungary since 2010, profoundly and durably modifying the…

Lagging Albanian reforms overshadow EU accession talks

Location:

ALBANIA

The code would incorporate controversial constitutional amendments favouring the governing Socialist Party (PS). The slow pace of judicial reform has held back Albania’s EU…

Fidesz’s rift with EU centre-right will cost Hungary

Location:

HUNGARY

This increases the likelihood of conflicts between Budapest and Brussels, as Fidesz is expected to ally itself with radical parties internationally. The Hungarian government’s…

US sanctions will have limited impact on Balkan elites

Location:

BALKANS/UNITED STATES

The US government has identified high-level corruption involving senior officials and politically connected tycoons as a key threat to Western Balkan stability. It sees the fight…

Latvia’s new three-party coalition will probably last

Location:

LATVIA

The October 1 parliamentary election gave Krisjanis Karins, Latvia’s first prime minister to serve a full four-year term, a clear mandate to form a government. His New Unity (JV…

UK-China trade will boom, but US ties come first

Location:

CHINA/UK

He is expected to announce a deal in which Chinese energy companies will take a one-third stake in the United Kingdom's planned 25-billion-pound (38.6-billion-dollar) Hinkley C…