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

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

Balkans Debrief

Feb 8, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – How can Bulgaria and North Macedonia overcome their differences? | A debrief with Petar Todorov

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Petar Todorov, a historian and a member of the Bilateral Multidisciplinary Expert Commission for Historical and Educational questions between Republic of North Macedonia and Republic of Bulgaria.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jan 25, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – How can investment drive regional prosperity? | A debrief with Diana Gligorijevic and Mergim Cahani

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Diana Gligorijevic, the co-founder of Telegroup Solutions, an IT Provider and telecommunication company in Serbia, and Mergim Cahani, the co-founder and the CEO of Gjirafa, about the role of investment in driving positive change in the Balkans.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jan 11, 2023

#BalkansDebrief – Will relations between Kosovo and Serbia normalize?| A debrief with Tim Judah

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Tim Judah, a journalist and author, in this episode of #BalkansDebrief about the role played by the Serbian President and the Prime Minister of Kosovo in reaching a normalization agreement acceptable to both parties.

The Balkans

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Balkans Debrief

Aug 31, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – Why does Russia want instability in the Western Balkans?| A debrief with Fabian Zhilla

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Fabian Zhilla, Senior Fellow of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, on the national security threats posed by Russian intelligence activities and cyber attacks.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Aug 8, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – What set off protests and heated political rhetoric in Bosnia? | A debrief with Adnan Huskic

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Adnan Huskic, President at the Center for Elections Studies in Sarajevo, on the recent OHR's proposal to change electoral law.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Aug 2, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – What triggered tensions on the border between Kosovo and Serbia? | A debrief with Petrit Selimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Petrit Selimi, Former Foreign Minister of Kosovo and CEO of Millennium Foundation Kosovo, on the recent tensions on the border between Kosovo and Serbia.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jul 26, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – Will the new EU enlargement methodology facilitate the Balkans accession to the EU? | A debrief with Pierre Mirel

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Pierre Mirel, Honorary Director General of the European Commission, on the impact of the new EU methodology in the accession talks

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jul 13, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – How can the West support the Western Balkans to shape their European future? | A debrief with Damon Wilson

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare interviews Damon Wilson, President and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy, on the opportunity for Western support in the region.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jul 7, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – Is a compromise possible in the dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia? | A Debrief from Dimitar Bechev

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare discusses the origins of the Bulgaria - North Macedonia dispute and the path forward for both countries with Dimitar Bechev, lecturer at Oxford's School of Global & Area Studies.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jun 30, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – The impact of the European Council’s decision on the Western Balkans | A Debrief from Damir Marusic and Maja Piscevic

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare at the Atlantic Council's Europe Center, speaks with Maja Piscevic and Damir Marusic, Senior Fellows at the Europe Center with firsthand knowledge of the situation in the region.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jun 17, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – Part II: What is the path forward for the stalled Belgrade-Pristina dialogue? | A Debrief from Ivan Vejvoda

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare Interviews Ivan Vejvoda, Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences, on the stalled Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jun 9, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – Part I: What is the path forward for the stalled Belgrade–Pristina dialogue? | A Debrief with Veton Surroi

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare Interviews Veton Surroi, a well-known publicist and former politician from Kosovo, on the stalled Belgrade–Pristina dialogue.

The Balkans

Balkans Debrief

Jun 7, 2022

#BalkansDebrief – What are the regional ramifications of Serbia’s gas agreement with Russia? | A debrief with Olga Khakova

Nonresident Senior Fellow Ilva Tare Interviews the Global Energy Center's Olga Khakova on the Serbia's gas deal with Russia.

Energy & Environment The Balkans