Bosnia – the path to sustainable peace runs through Banja Luka
The Canadian experience suggests that sustainable peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina can only be achieved by treating the Republika Srpska as a political player with legitimate fears and concerns.
Kosovo – the ICJ speaks
The International Court of Justice's ruling has found Kosovo's declaration of independence to be neither legal nor illegal, but that international law contains no applicable prohibition of such declarations.
Kosovo – “a struggle over who gets the north”
An interview with Gerard Gallucci, the former UN Regional Representative in Mitrovica, in which he discusses the impending International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on the legality of Kosovo's declaration of independence and its implications for the future of the disputed territory, particularly the north of Kosovo.
Kosovo – the European Parliament's resolute message
Though most coverage focused upon its call for the remaining five EU member states to recognize Kosovo's independence, the European Parliament's resolution highlights a number of important areas of reform where further progress is urgently required.
Kosovo – is the United States inciting violence in the North?
Tacit and explicit US support for Pristina's unilateral approach to the north of Kosovo has fueled an already volatile situation, contributing to an increase in tensions and acts of provocation that threaten further violent confrontations similar to that of July 2nd.
The Greek-Macedonian name dispute – good-neighbourly relations?
Greece’s continued violation of bilateral and international agreements with respect to Macedonia calls into question its commitment, and that of the international community, to good-neighbourly relations in the Western Balkans.
Greek tragedy threatens Western Balkan stability
For the Western Balkans, the global financial crisis has exposed a plethora shortcomings in its transition to free market economics and resolution of outstanding disputes.
Kosovo – moderation in Mitrovica
The result of local elections in Northern Mitrovica suggests a shift towards more moderate voices that may help facilitate constructive dialogue between Kosovo Serbs and Pristina.
Is Belgium an Eastern European country?
In the face of renewed nationalism, Belgium - which has often been proposed as a model for other divided societies, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina - must contend with a constitutional crisis that has brought into question the very future of the state.
Serbia in the light of present and future security challenges
TransConflict Serbia organized a panel discussion, entitled 'Serbia in the light of present and future security challenges', involving representatives from across the Serbian political spectrum.
Thinking beyond the crisis? Greece and the Balkans
Recent developments – particularly a proposal to recognize Macedonia as the ‘Republic of Vardar Macedonia’ - have demonstrated that, contrary to the fears of some, the debt crisis will not impede Greece’s capacity for resolving regional disputes.
Serbia and South Stream
A number of key factors - including Gazprom's financial situation, falling gas production and Ukraine's changed politics - bring into question Russia's capacity to deliver the energy security benefits promised by its deal with Serbia.
The disaster of Sarajevo?
The Sarajevo summit once again re-affirmed the impression that the EU is attempting to solve the region's problems on an ad hoc basis, without a clear commitment and without offering anything that hasn't already been on the agenda since 2000.
Local elections may herald a period of flux in Montenegro
While Djukanovic’s ruling party has claimed victory, the opposition seems likely to be galvanised by their relatively strong showing in the capital and elsewhere.
Kosovo – divisible sovereignty
Side-stepping the sovereignty issue and avoiding partition requires increased autonomy for the Serbs north of the Ibar and some form of role for Serbia vis-à-vis the southern Serbs and the Serbian Orthodox Church.
NATO not a panacea for energy security
TransConflict, in conjunction with Jagello 2000 from the Czech Republic, organized a panel discussion, entitled 'NATO's new Strategic Concept – Russia and Energy Security', to coincide with the recommendations and analysis of the Group of Experts appointed to lay the groundwork for the development of a new Strategic Concept.
The economic crisis, Greece and the Balkans
The economic crisis – which has eroded the EU's solidarity and diluted its appetite for further enlargement – will serve to fuel populism and undermine the resolution of outstanding conflicts in the Balkans.
The way forward? Grassroots diplomacy in the southern balkans
Grassroots involvement in conflict transformation is key to overcoming the prejudice and mistrust that lies at the centre of many of the current problems facing the southern Balkans.
Kosovo – no return?
In light of recent protests, the international community and the Kosovo authorities must do more to ensure the sustainable return of Serbs and other non-Albanian minorities to Kosovo.
Kosovo – what to do with the north, ad interim
The international community will need to find a more comprehensive approach to the north of Kosovo, acceptable to the majority Serbs, that can serve in the interim to help normalize daily life there whilst the status issue remains unresolved.
Bosnia is a wicked problem
The international community must recognize the key role of all relevant players, particularly Turkey and Russia, in finding solutions to Bosnia and Herzegovina's worst political crisis since the signing of Dayton.
The Greek-Macedonian dispute – time to return to the drawing board?
Facilitating a compromise between the respective parties to the name issue requires a better understanding of the multi-layered character of the dispute, the historically conditioned perspectives of the parties, and the main actors and their perceived interests.
Russia’s Balkan plan
Russia's re-emergence in the Balkans – thanks, in part, to financial loans, energy investments and the provision of emergency relief – could leave Serbia in the middle of a conundrum as the region itself increasingly becomes a point of contestation between the West and Russia.
Does Serbia really want Ganic?
Despite requesting the extradition of Ejup Ganic – which has already damaged relations between Bosnia and Serbia, and will negatively impact this autumn's elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina – it remains far from clear whether Serbia possesses the will to actually try Ganic in court.
No selective neutrality
Calls for a referendum in Serbia on NATO membership are motivated not by a desire for an open and transparent debate on the issue of collective security, but by narrow political interests.
