Albania opens first EU-accession chapters

3 min read Albania, Balkan countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina, EU, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Politics, Serbia, Ukraine, Edi Rama, European Commission, Oliver Varhelyi

Albania’s bid to join the EU gained momentum at the latest intergovernmental conference that marked the opening of formal EU accession talks in Luxembourg on Tuesday, October 15. The talks focused on the first cluster of chapters known as the “fundamentals,” which include human rights, rule of law, and

CEE rescue teams rally to flood-hit Bosnia

3 min read Albania, Balkan countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Aleksandar Vucic, EUCPM, Turkey, Vojin Mijatovic

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is receiving crucial assistance from across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as well as the EU, as rescue teams help tackle the aftermath of severe floods and landslides that hit large parts of the country on Friday, 4 October. Torrential rain has caused rivers to overflow

Albania tops region for sustainable energy mix

The share of renewable sources in gross final energy consumption at the EU level reached 23% in 2022, up 1.1 percentage points (pp) year-on-year, the bloc’s statistics office Eurostat reports. The EU’s revised Renewable Energy Directive has upped the bloc’s 2030 renewable energy target from 32%

Hungary MOU with Huawei angers US

1 min read Albania, Economy, Hungary, Montenegro, 4iG, Huawei, Joe Biden, Viktor Orban

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing between Hungary’s 4iG and China’s Huawei, both controversial companies close to their respective governments, has provoked anger from the US government. Huawei and 4iG say they want to play a pivotal role in the global race for high-speed 5G data transmission. The

Michel to pledge new EU accessions by 2030

2 min read Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Economy, Kosovo, Montenegro, Slovenia, Bled, Conference

European Council President Charles Michel will announce that the EU should be ready to accept new members by 2030, when he opens the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) in Bled, north-western Slovenia, on Monday, 28 August. Michel will reportedly tell leaders of EU candidate countries at the event that “If we

Montenegro election returns pro-EU leader who pledges to join bloc within five years

2 min read Montenegro, European Union, Milatovic

Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic will remain the world’s second-youngest state leader, it was confirmed at the Balkan country’s parliamentary elections on Sunday, 11 June. Milatovic, 36, deputy leader of the victorious Europe Now group, said during election weekend that “I am optimistic that, through direct dialogue and stronger

Montenegrin leader ousted after 32 years

2 min read Montenegro, elections

Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic lost the presidential election run-off on Sunday, 2 April, ending his 32-year rule that began in February 1991. Djukanovic, the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) leader, was squarely defeated by 36-year-old newcomer Jakov Milatovic, a candidate for Europe Now, in the second round, with preliminary results