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Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks
Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, Episode 1
The premiere of the first podcast episode of the BiEPAG podcast series is hosted by Florian Bieber (BiEPAG's Coordinator, Director of Centre for Southeast European Studies, Graz) and Tena Prelec (BiEPAG Member, Research Associate at the Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR), University of Oxford).
šPart 1
BiEPAG's Coordinator Florian Bieber is leading the discussing on the aftermath of the recent elections in Montenegro and the end of the ÄukanoviÄ Era with his guests Ana NeneziÄ, Executive Director of CeMI, Montenegro and Bojan Baca, BiPEAG Member and Marie SkÅodowska-Curie Fellow, Department of Sociology and Work Science, University of Gothenburg.
What are the prospects for the newly elected president in the light of the change of power with the long-term strongman ÄukanoviÄ, what does it mean for the highly polarized landscape of Montenegrin politics and what can be expected in the light of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
šPart 2
Tena Prelec and her fellow BiEPAG Members Jovana Marovic (Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of European Affairs in Government of Montenegro) and Richard GrievesonĀ (Deputy Director of the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies) are looking at the thicket of the different economic integration projects in the region, with a special focus on the Open Balkan and the recent BiEPAG policy brief "Through the Labyrinth of Regional Cooperation: How to Make Sense of Regional Integration in the Western Balkans".
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16. Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, episode 16
38:18||Ep. 16The Evolving Role of the European Political CommunityHost: Donika Emini, BiEPAG MemberGuests:Odeta Barbullushi, Resident Professor at the College of Europe, Tirana Campus, and BiEPAG member Tristan Aureau, Director,Ā Centre for Analysis, Planning and Strategy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France.Donika Emini, BiEPAG member and co-host of this episode, discusses the evolving role of the European Political Community, a forum born out of crisis, now standing at a critical juncture. With Albania hosting the sixth summit in Tirana, and Europe faces simultaneous security challenges from Ukraine to the Middle East, and regional frictions in the Western Balkans, the question is urgent.Can the European Political Community help the European unity in an age of uncertainty?Ā15. Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, episode 15
27:22||Ep. 15What the new German Government means for the Balkans?Host: Florian Bieber, BiEPAG Coordinator Guests: Frauke Seebass,Visiting Fellow, SWP & Associate Researcher, DGAP and Adi ÄeramagiÄ, Senior Analyst, ESIThe new German government of Friedrich Merz announced in its coalition agreement that it would prioritize reforms over enlargement. What this means for the Western Balkans and how the new government is expected to handle the key challenges in the region, from the mass protests in Serbia to the political crisis in Bosnia is the topic of Seriously Balkans.ĀSeriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, episode 14
31:51|Kosovoās 2025 Parliamentary Elections and the Shifting Geopolitical LandscapeHost: Damir KapidžiÄ, member of BiEPAG Guests: Donika Emini, member of BiEPAG and GĆ«zim Krasniqi, Lecturer at the University of EdinburghOn February 9th, 2025, Kosovo held Parliamentary elections, the first after a full government term since independence. Prime Minister Albin Kurtiās party, which previously won a landslide victory, secured around 40% of the vote this time, making a coalition government likely. Kurtiās tenure has been marked by tense relations with Belgrade, as well as a complicated dynamic with the EU and the US. What can we expect from a possible second term for Kurti, and how will the rise of a new, more aggressive US foreign policy under President Trump impact its relation towards Kosovo and the Western Balkans? What is the role of the EU and will it be able to step up its commitment towards Kosovo? To unpack the election results and their broader implications, we are joined by GĆ«zim Krasniqi, Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, and Donika Emini, a member of BiEPAG. Tune in for a deep dive into Kosovoās evolving political landscape.Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, episode 13
27:32|Student Protests in SerbiaHost: Florian Bieber, BiEPAG CoordinatorGuests: Danica (anonymous based on the request of the student plenum), Faculty of Chemistry, University of BelgradeStudent (anonymous based on the request of the student plenum), Philosophical Faculty, University of BelgradeWe want to change the country, so we donāt have to leave the country, is a central theme of the thousands of students and other citizens filling the streets of Serbia. In the largest protests in Serbia and the entire region for decades, students, joined by other citizens, have been on the street for three months. In addition to commemorating the 15 victims of the collapse of the canopy at the Novi Sad train station, they demand that the institutions investigate the causes of the accident and publish the details that led to it. Beyond that, the protests have become a rallying point for demands for the rule of law and democracy. Florian Bieber discusses the demands, the protests themselves and the atmosphere with two student representatives from the University of Belgrade.Ā12. Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, episode 12
26:59||Ep. 12Croatiaās Role in the Region: Continuity or Change?Ā Host: Tena Prelec, BiEPAG MemberGuests: First part: Oliver Kannenberg (Research associate at IParl, Berlin) and Željko Poljak (PhD researcher and a member of the M²P, University of Antwerp)Second part: Damir KapidžiÄ and Jovana MaroviÄ, BiEPAG MembersCroatia often distances itself from the Western Balkans label, yet its political weight in the region is undeniable. In this episode, we unpack the countryās domestic political landscape post-presidential elections and its role in shaping key regional developmentsāfrom Bosnia and Herzegovinaās electoral reform to Montenegroās EU accession process. Is Croatia a stabilising force, a destructive influence, a self-interested actor, or something else entirely?11. Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, episode 11
32:20||Ep. 11How do geopolitical interests impact democracy in the Balkans?Discussing how geopolitical interest shape the democracy in the Balkans, specifically the role of economic and informal political linkages of the countries of the region and EU, but also Russia and China. Host: Damir KapidžiÄGuests: Milica UvaliÄ (Visiting Fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies RSC at the European University Institute EUI in Florence Italy) and Alexander Mesarovich (Max WeberĀ Fellow, European University Institute).Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, episode 10
26:53|BiEPAG's Coordinator Florian Bieber is hosting his guests Majda Ruge (Senior Policy Fellow, ECFR Berlin) and Milan KrstiÄ (Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Belgrade) to discuss the possible implications of the results of the U.S. Elections 2024 and the incoming Donald Trump presidency for the Western Balkans, with special focus to his first nominations for key foreign posts.9. Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, episode 9
18:51||Ep. 9What do the results of the 2024 EU elections mean for the Western Balkans?Host: Damir KapidžiÄ, BiEPAG Member Guests: DuÅ”an ReljiÄ, Independent consultant and former Head of Brussels office for SWP and Corina Stratulat, BiEPAG Member and Associate Director and Head of the European Politics and Institutions Programme at the European Policy Centre, Brussels.Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks, episode 8
23:37|The 8th podcast episode of Seriously Balkans - The BiEPAG Talks is all about the recent repeated local and municipal elections in Serbia.BiEPAG's Member Tena Prelec discusses the topic from different aspects with two experts that have followed the situation on the ground - Tamara BrankoviÄ, Deputy Programme Director at the Serbian NGO CRTA and Aleksandar IvkoviÄ, Journalist at European Western Balkans and Serbia Elects project.