Latest Analysis from the Balkans
Troubled Albanian Museum Sunk by Hoxha Row
Donors spent hundreds of thousands of euro building a new museum in Gjirokastra - but the results were questionable and it ultimately closed over an ideological dispute.
Serbia Needs IMF to Boost Confidence in Reforms
To keep its reform policy credible for investors, the government must find common ground with the IMF and look for a new arrangement, experts say.
Government Pressures Church to Back Kosovo Deal
The Serbian Orthodox Church has been hit by a series of leaks about sex and spying as the government attempts to force it to drop its opposition to the Kosovo agreement.
Montenegro Tensions Put Ruling Party on Edge
Six months after presidential elections in Montenegro, smaller parties in the governing coalition are threatening to jeopardise the government’s stability and shake the Democratic Party of Socialists’ power.
PTK Buyer Spies Gold in Call Centres
Telecom could become lead player in small but burgeoning industry in Kosovo, which is tapping the low-wage, multilingual workforce.
Macedonia NGOs Blow Whistle on No-Bid Contracts
Macedonian institutions have spent 150 million euro on contracts without tenders over four years, raising corruption concerns.
Kosovo Prepares to Legalize Organ Transplants
Bill offers hope for patients who must go abroad for new organs – but concerns remain about granting licenses to private medical centres in the light of the Medicus case.
Scandals Dominate Ill-tempered Election in Bulgaria
A slew of official investigations, accusations and counter-accusations have dominated a campaign in which the former ruling GERB party has maintained its poll lead.
Captive Brown Bears Gain Fresh Start in Kosovo
NGO wants to relocate animals living at restaurants and small zoos, but some owners aren’t sold on the idea.
Sharp Divisions Over Solutions to Gas Crisis
Plans to reorganise the indebted state-owned monopoly Srbijagas have become controversial, pitting the energy ministry against the management.
Bad Loans Soar as Kosovo Economy Stumbles
A 30-per-cent spike in non-performing loans points to a decline in the country’s overall economic health.
Opposition Leader’s ‘Assault’ Turns Into Albania Poll Issue
The parliamentary probe into opposition leader Edi Rama’s alleged behavior in Vienna is adding to the tense pre-election climate in Albania.
Turks Bewitch The Balkans With Their Addictive Soaps
Turkish soaps have replaced Latin American shows as must-sees for many TV viewers in the Balkans - tapping into nostalgia for a system of family values that people in the region have lost, and lament.
Politics Blamed for Bosnia Federation President’s Arrest
The arrest of the president of Bosnia’s Federation entity amid a political crisis over the government’s reconstruction has raised suspicions that it has political connotations.
Serbs Face Phased Transition to Kosovo Rule
Kosovo's authority will be introduced to Serb-run northern Kosovo in three stages, BIRN can reveal, as Kosovo Serb leaders warn the EU-backed plan may prompt them to emigrate.
