Democratization Policy Council

German expert on the Balkans and Senior Associate at the Democratization Policy Council (DPC), Bodo Weber, expects a sharper attitude towards Serbia from the new German government.
Weber said that, with a tougher stance towards Serbia, he expects the continuation of the policy towards Pristina led by Angela Merkel's government.

Diplomatic and Balkan experts say the announced solution to the Macedonia-Greece "name" dispute will add to the pressure on the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to finally solve their own dispute over the former Serbian province's status and future.

While Angela Merkel's political deal with the Social Democrats, the SDP, awaits final approval, experts on the Balkans predict that the new coalition will not make major changes towards the Balkans, but some countries might face more pressure to carry out internal reforms.

Photo: picpickle.com

The Western Balkans has never been a priority for the EU, compared with other problems it is facing, says Bodo Weber from the Democratization Policy Council.

In an interview for the European Western Balkans website, Weber described the EU as being "on autopilot" when it comes to enlargement.

The Western Balkans has never been a priority for the EU, compared with other problems it is facing, says Bodo Weber from the Democratization Policy Council.

In an interview for the European Western Balkans website, Weber described the EU as being "on autopilot" when it comes to enlargement.

Donald Trump's victory has reinvigorated Republika Srpska, RS representatives in Washington as the shock development is being interpreted as a new opportunity for the entity, which already spends heavily on lobbying, to promote itself to US policymakers.

Sinisa Karan, president of the referendum commission in Republika Srpska, told a press conference on Monday that, after all votes have been counted, 99.81 per cent of voters had said "yes" to maintaining January 9 as the mainly Serbian entity's national day.

Karan said that of the 1,219,399 people eligible to vote, 680,116 did so, giving a turnout of 55.67 per cent.

As the political crisis in Kosovo spirals into further violence in the assembly, with tear gas being regularly set off in the chamber and several opposition MPs arrested, many wonder whether a peaceful solution to the crisis can now be found.

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic should attend the commemoration in Srebrenica and stop supporting President of the Serb Republic (RS) Milorad Dodik.

This is what senior associate with the Democratization Policy Council in Berlin Bodo Weber has told the Belgrade-based daily Danas.

The new US ambassador to Sarajevo, Maureen Cormick, is arriving in Sarajevo this week to take up her post, officials said on Monday, raising hopes that she can bolster renewed Western efforts to help Bosnia restart its stalled reforms.