Week in Review: Drones, Special Ops and Electoral Manoeuvres
Our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week covers everything from hunger strikes, spy shenanigans to a heated dispute over drones.
Mandate for Reform: Moldova’s Victorious pro-Europeans Must Use Their New Momentum
After seeing off the Kremlin threat in the recent elections, the government must press on with reforms aimed at securing EU accession.
Serbia Arrests Two Alleged Trainers of Moldova Election Disrupters
Ahead of a nail-biting election on Sunday in Moldova, Serbian police arrested two persons suspected of training Moldovan and Romanian citizens to cause chaos on polling day.
Fugitive Oligarch Plahotniuc Extradited to Moldova From Greece
After six years on the run, wanted oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc arrived back in Moldova, to face a trial over a massive fraud case dubbed the ‘theft of the century’.
October 27, 2025
Moving Albanian Drug Money, on Trust or in Crypto
Investigators have documented the use of foreign exchange offices in Albania to move drug money, either in crypto or via a centuries-old, trust-based system called Hawala.
October 27, 2025
Bosnian Serb Leader’s ‘Capitulation’ is Just a Tactical Retreat
Milorad Dodik may have formally stepped down as Republika Srpska’s president after being legally barred from office – but he still hopes to carry on pulling the strings.
October 24, 2025
ARTE Europe Weekly: What’s the EU Doing About Its Doctor Shortage?
Across the European Union, the healthcare system is short of around 1.2 million doctors, nurses, and midwives. But what is being done to close the gap?
October 24, 2025
In North Macedonia, Albanian-Run Festival Thrives as ‘Bridge Between Cultures’
Shaip Emerllahu, the director of the ‘Days of Naim’ international poetry festival in Tetovo, North Macedonia, tells BIRN about his decades-long struggle for Albanian rights – and how poetry works as a cultural connector.
October 24, 2025
Week in Review: Vanishing Acts and Deep Divisions
From Washington and London to Pristina and Skopje, our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week takes you through elections, summits, punitive lawsuits – and a very dangerous game.
October 24, 2025
Democracy Digest: Budapest No-Shows Take Shine off Orban’s ‘Peace Procession’
Elsewhere, Slovak court sentences Fico shooter to 21 years for terrorism; post-election coalition negotiations continue in Czechia; and Poland and Romania detain eight people suspected of planning logistics sabotage on behalf of Russia.
October 20, 2025
Prague’s 13th Signal Festival Shines New Light on Old Buildings
September 17, 2025
Danish Photographer Presents ‘Images of Resilience’ from Kosovo War
September 8, 2025
Turkish Police Enter Opposition HQ to Disperse Protesters and MPs
September 6, 2025
