Serbia and three Germanies
The West deals with Serbia by straddling victors’ policies toward Germany in 1918 and 1945. It also punishes Serbia for crimes of the 1990s after... Read More
Serbia must play fair too
As the U.S. and its fellow EU members of the Quint pressure Pristina to offer solutions, they must either pressure or entice Vucic to allow... Read More
NATO’s two choices in Kosovo
NATO now has two choices under its UN mandate, to escort those forces back south of the River or to open the border and allow Serbian... Read More
What agreement?
Once again the West struggles to enforce a deal of questionable value on unwilling Balkan participants. By David B. Kanin The old saying... Read More
Kosovo: not up to NATO
The U.S., EU and now NATO have long acted in Kosovo as if they had the authority to act for the United Nations. Belgrade would... Read More
Kosovo: should/could Serbia intervene unilaterally?
Should Belgrade send forces into the north to lance this boil? It may be the only way to force the hand of the U.S., EU... Read More
Kosovo – lancing the Boil?
NATO would be well within its UN mandate to allow some Serbian forces to return to Kosovo. Perhaps this is the way to lance the... Read More
Please, no more Western Balkan summits
The EU engages in empty diplomatic theater while Balkan disputes fester and the war in Ukraine highlights “Europe’s” limits. By David B. Kanin... Read More
Congratulations, Serbia – leader and model!
The EU begins to adopt Belgrade’s two stool approach to Russia’s war against Ukraine (sort of). By David B. Kanin European notables owe... Read More
Orban and Vucic … and Tito
Skillful security managers can stand astride two stools indefinitely, as long as one of them does not collapse. By David B. Kanin The... Read More
The Ukraine crisis and Great Power rivalry in the Balkans
War or not, current tensions underscore the region’s geopolitical marginality. The outcome regarding Ukraine will suggest which great power is more likely to bend Balkan... Read More
Sovereignty for Metohija
Treat the Serbian Orthodox Church as a respected partner in a comprehensive, single-stage agreement on the status of Kosovo. By David B. Kanin I... Read More
The Bosniak side of the equation
Options in case the Americans once again disappoint Bosnia-Herzegovina’s largest community. By David B. Kanin Once again, Bosnia’s Bosnjak leadership is attempting to create... Read More
The problem with Bosnia’s last High Representative
The ideal role of Bosnia’s last High Representative is to disappear quietly, without any noticing that he is doing it. He needs to evaporate slowly... Read More
What will trigger the next Balkan conflict?
Look past the usual noise emanating from EU-sponsored meetings and the panic of former diplomats and pundits. By David B. Kanin The current security... Read More
Kurti’s momentous opportunity to transform Kosovo
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Kurti stands an excellent chance of succeeding to make Kosovo a model of progressive democracy, advanced economy, and social equality that no... Read More
Sweeten the pot, or there will be no pot
Belgrade would need a good reason to give up its “curse” of leverage. By David B. Kanin Ed Joseph has a serious proposal. It... Read More
Please colonize us.
Balkan Westernizers avoid a post-Imperial world. By David B. Kanin Not long ago, I took part in a conversation about the long-running soap opera... Read More
Constitutional reform in contemporary Bosnia
In this, the second in a series of essays about political reform in post-war Bosnia, the author advances the argument that comprehensive constitutional reform is... Read More
How to exit Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s government institutions have been supervised by an international governing structure called the Office of the High Representative for the past 25 years.... Read More
Kurti in the driver’s seat – of a driverless vehicle
Kosovo’s Prime Minister will retain multiple options no matter how any renewed Western effort to pound out a deal between Pristina and Belgrade turns out.... Read More
Time for Kosovo to secure its true independence
To be sure, the Kosovo public can now exercise their electoral power to demand all of the above and other areas of concern from the... Read More
Bosnia-Herzegovina – where is our ‘own’ Nelson Mandela?
Without the ideal of equal rights and opportunities of Bosnians and Herzegovinians, we will never live truly decent lives in our country. By Haris... Read More
Everything comes to an end: how the DPS lost power in Montenegro
There was no one single factor that brought the DPS down. As with most tectonic social and political changes, the reality is more complex and... Read More
