The Atlantic Council Europe Center‘s #BalkansDebrief series features timely conversations on key issues impacting the Western Balkans.

Nonresident senior fellow Ilva Tare hosts newsmakers, experts, and officials for discussions on rule of law, energy security, cultural heritage, Russian and Chinese influence in the region, and more.

Watch #BalkansDebrief on YouTube and listen to it as a Podcast.

#BalkansDebrief Episodes

Balkans Debrief

Apr 26, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – Anti-Roma Sentiment in the Western Balkans | A Debrief with Sonja Licht and Zeljko Jovanovic

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare discusses the current challenges and potential changes for Roma communities in the Western Balkans with Sonja Licht, the President of Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society in Belgrade and Zeljko Jovanovic, the Director of Roma Initiatives Office for the Open Societies Foundation in Berlin. 

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Apr 11, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – What’s next after Bulgarian elections? | A Debrief with Dimitar Bechev

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks with Dimitar Bechev, Lecturer at Oxford School of Global and Area Studies on implications of another caretaker government for Bulgaria’s economic and European outlooks.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Mar 17, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – What challenges faces the Kosovo/Serbia agreement | Debrief with Jovana Radosavljevic and Visar Ymeri 

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks with Jovana Radosavljevic, Executive Director of the New Social Initiative, and Visar Ymeri, Executive Director of the Institute for Social Policy “Musine Kokalari,” to discuss the challenges of implementing a proposed agreement for normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia and the expectations for the upcoming Ohrid Summit on March 19.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Mar 3, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – Is a deal on normalization between Kosovo & Serbia possible? | A debrief with Miroslav Lajčák 

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks with Miroslav Lajčák, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, on this episode of #BalkansDebrief about the latest meeting in Brussels, details of the EU brokered plan, implementation of any future agreement, and the path forward.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Feb 22, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – What is the future for Kosovo Serbs in the north? | A Debrief with Tatjana Lazarevic 

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Tatjana Lazarevic, the Editor-in-Chief of the KoSSev news portal and a resident of the Kosovo Serb-majority city of Mitrovica in the north of Kosovo.

The Balkans

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Balkans Debrief

Feb 27, 2024

#BalkansDebrief – Why did the dinar ban spark Kosovo-US tension? | A debrief with Arian Zeka and Dragisa Mijacic

In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Ilva Tare, Europe Center's Nonresident Senior Fellow, welcomes Arian Zeka and Dragisa Mijacic. Together, they discuss the implications of the recent dinar ban in Kosovo.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jan 17, 2024

#BalkansDebrief – What awaits the Balkans in 2024? | A debrief with Damir Kapidzic 

In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Ilva Tare, Europe Center's Nonresident Senior Fellow, welcomes Damir Kapidžić, Political Scientist and Associate Professor at the University of Sarajevo, and a Weatherhead Visiting Scholar at Harvard. Together, they dissect the critical crossroads facing the region as U.S. and EU elections loom on the horizon.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jan 8, 2024

#BalkansDebrief – How will the US&EU elections reshape the Western Balkans? | A debrief with Ivan Krastev

Ilva Tare, Nonresident Senior Fellow, speaks with Ivan Krastev, chair of the Center for Liberal Strategies and Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. 

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jan 4, 2024

#BalkansDebrief – Unrest in Serbia after elections: is democracy at risk? | A debrief with Rasa Nedeljkov

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks to Rasa Nedeljkov, Program Director of the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability which has monitored closely the election with particular focus on the capital, Belgrade. 

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Dec 19, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – What’s next for the Balkans after EU enlargement decision? | A debrief with #BalkansForward team

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks to Atlantic Council Europe Center's Balkans Forward team: Maja Piscevic, Amb. Cameron Munter, and Valbona Zeneli about the impact the future of EU enlargement process.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Nov 29, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – What’s behind Italy-Albania immigration deal? | A debrief with Natalie Tocci

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare speaks to Nathalie Tocci, Director of the Instituto Affari Internazionali in Italy, about the political and social implications of Italy-Albania Immigration deal.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Nov 10, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – Why does the US want Kosovo to urgently implement the ASM?| A debrief with Jeffrey Hovenier

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare is joined in this episode of #BalkansDebrief by US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier to discuss developments in the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Nov 1, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – What challenges face new Montenegro government? | A Debrief with Ana Nenezic

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare is joined in this episode of #BalkansDebrief by political analyst and the director of the Institute for SocioPolitical Research - Analitico, Ana Nenezic.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Oct 23, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – A view from the European Parliament on Kosovo-Serbia crisis | A Debrief with Viola von Cramon

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare is joined in this episode of #BalkansDebrief by, Viola von Cramon, a member of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee and the Rapporteur on Kosovo, to discuss the implications of the resolution and the EU's role in ensuring that Serbia cooperates fully with the investigation into the Banjska attack.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Oct 13, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – What is the future of normalization process between Kosovo and Serbia? | A Debrief with Alicia Kearns

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare is joined in this episode of #BalkansDebrief by British MP Alicia Kearns, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, UK House of Commons to discuss recent escalation of hostilities in Kosovo and the future of Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue.

The Balkans