The Western Balkans in the Next Decade

The Western Balkans grapple with security issues deeply intertwined with geopolitical dynamics, as the region’s strategic location attracts interest from major powers, leading to a tug-of-war of influence. Internal security challenges, such as ethnic divisions, weak governance, and organized crime, are often exacerbated by these external geopolitical pressures, creating a complex and volatile security environment. This event engaged with key issues of the New Lines Balkans Observatory, with preeminent scholars and practitioners discussing the region’s politics, security, and regional cooperation over the next ten years. grapple with security issues deeply intertwined with geopolitical dynamics, as the region’s strategic location attracts interest from major powers, leading to a tug-of-war of influence. Internal security challenges, such as ethnic divisions, weak governance, and organized crime, are often exacerbated by these external geopolitical pressures, creating a complex and volatile security environment. This event engaged with key issues of the New Lines Balkans Observatory, with preeminent scholars and practitioners discussing the region’s politics, security, and regional cooperation over the next ten years.