At a forum in Tirana, von der Leyen and Rama cast the Western Balkans as a driving force for Europe’s growth and integration. A conference in Tirana on Monday came with a clear message: the Western Balkans are no longer Europe’s backyard, they are becoming its next engine of growth....
Slovenia edges closer to holding referendum to reject euthanasia
The initiators of the referendum see the law adopted in July as unjust and inhumane and accuse it of violating the constitution. Voters in Slovenia are expected to decide the fate of the law on assisted voluntary ending of life in a referendum on 23 November. The proposal was published...
UK intel: 1.1M Russian casualties since invasion
UK Ministry of Defence Reports Significant Russian Military Casualties As of October 14, 2025, Russian military losses in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have reached approximately 1,118,000 personnel, including both killed and wounded. The British Ministry of Defence reports that roughly 332,000 of these losses occurred this year alone. The...
Ukrainian pipelines in exchange for weapons
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may offer Donald Trump the opportunity to lease Ukrainian pipelines to American energy companies so they can sell to Slovakia and Hungary. Kyiv is looking to convince the U.S. to provide additional military support to help it defend its critical infrastructure from russian strikes before winter, including...
The protest by war veterans caused tensions between the prime ministers of Kosovo and Albania
A protest planned for Friday in Tirana – against the Hague war crimes court's trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci – has reignited feuding between Albania's premier Edi Rama and the biggest party in Kosovo. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and the biggest party in Kosovo, Vetevendosje, traded accusations...
Orban’s media investments in the Balkans
For several years, individuals closely associated with the Hungarian ruling party «Fides» and authoritarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán have been quietly buying up media assets across the Balkans. This strategic offensive is seen as a deliberate attempt to strengthen the alliance with Budapest-friendly regimes, particularly in Serbia and North Macedonia...
Slovakia holds up new EU Sanctions against Russia (again)
Slovakia is once again complicating the EU’s attempt to agree on a new package of sanctions against Russia. PM Robert Fico has linked his approval of the bloc’s 19th sanctions round to fresh demands from Brussels, including stronger support for Europe’s car industry and relief from high energy prices. He...
Trump will meet with Putin in Budapest
‘Great news for peace-loving people’: Orbán says Hungary ready to host Trump-Putin summit on Ukraine. The Kremlin confirmed plans for the meeting, though neither side provided a date for when it would occur. U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Thursday (16 October) to another summit...
Poland’s big win on not taking EU migrants could leave neighbors at a loss
We still don’t know when the European Commission will finally publish its report on which countries are officially “under migratory pressure.” But Poland has been on its victory lap for days. The government says it has secured a one-year relief from relocations and financial contributions under the EU’s migration pact,...
Portugal punches above its weight
The country attracted more than 29 million foreign visitors last year, with tourism accounting for about 12% of GDP. Foreign investment has surged after the government cut bureaucratic hurdles, while labor reforms made hiring and firing easier. Successive governments have struck a fine balance between austerity and growth, earning a...