Balkaninsight.com

Syrian-born activist Shadi Martini - who advocates for Syrian war victims - says Donald Trump’s ‘Muslim’ ban is not only ‘killing’ the hopes of refugees but undermining America's own security.

Despite the tensions between Albania’s two ruling Socialist parties, their coalition will likely survive, as each needs the other in order to win the upcoming election.

The VMRO DPMNE’s party's aggressive attacks on Western diplomats and flirtation with Moscow are the counter-productive acts of frustrated politicians facing likely demise, observers say.

Bosnia-based experts have challenged the claim aired in a recent article that Bosnia is highly vulnerable to Islamist penetration, noting that the authorities have taken effective action against such threats.

After reaching an agreement with Kosovo Serbs, the authorities knocked down a two-metre-high concrete wall which was the centre of a dispute in the divided northern town of Mitrovica.

Romania’s Prime Minister announced his cabinet would repeal a new decree that relaxed anti-corruption legislation, as massive protests continued to rock the country.

As protests entered a fifth day, Romania's Social Democrat leader, Liviu Dragnea, said he would advise the Prime Minister to abandon plans to relax anti-graft laws that have caused turmoil in the country.

The Prime Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro both stand to benefit from sending a message that their countries’ mutual relations are better than they once were.

Serbia's Prime Minister said he had appealed to Kosovo Serb leaders to calm tensions in northern Kosovo, but locals say Belgrade holds a fair share in spike of strains.

After Romania’s biggest demonstrations in decades, more rallies against the government’s decision to relax anti-corruption laws are planned for the weekend after the prime minister refused to back down.

On a visit to Pristina at a troubled time for the EU-led Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said his country stood 'side by side' with Kosovo in its efforts to defend its sovereignty.

While polls suggest that Aleksandar Vucic would storm home in a presidential election, the big question is what he would gain from winning a largely ceremonial post.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signalled that he ready to revive gas projects with Bulgaria - despite the Kremlin's disappointment over the failure of the South Stream pipeline back in 2014.

New EU and national statistics for December show the unemployment rate has fallen sharply in Croatia - but, less cheeringly, the number of people in work has also dropped.

A speech by the new US Defence Secretary - arguing that Kosovo should be allowed to defend itself - has alarmed Serbia and enlivened the debate in Kosovo on whether it is time to form a regular army.

An online Balkan peace charter started by two journalists from Bosnia and Croatia has attracted several thousand signatures of support - but there has been no response from regional political leaders.

Experts say a court decision obliging Bulgaria to introduce voting machines in every polling station by the time of the early elections on March 26 could pose problems for the electoral process.

The common belief that Macedonia’s special prosecution has only 18 months to complete its tasks is based on a mistaken understanding of the law.

The second round of talks between Kosovo and Serbian politicians in Brussels was reportedly a failure - and the participants notably omitted to give any real details of what was said after the meeting.

From Macedonia’s ever-evolving political crisis, via Bosnia’s ethno-political machinations, to the battle against corruption in Romania, this week’s collection of articles from Balkan Insight once again highlights the unpredictability of twists and turns, good and bad, in political life.