Intervju sa Aleksandrom Vučićem: ‘Ne tražimo milostinju, nego želimo reformirati Srbiju’

Popričali smo sa Premijerom Srbije g-dinom Aleksandrom Vučićem posle njegovog predavanja na LSEE 27/10/2014. Urednik LSEE bloga Tena Prelec je postavljala pitanja. Pročitajte englesku verziju

Book review: rival power: Russia in Southeast Europe by Dimitar Bechev

In Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe, Dimitar Bechev offers a nuanced and cool-headed account that challenges dominant narratives surrounding Europe, Dimitar Bechev offers a nuanced and cool-headed account that challenges dominant narratives surrounding Russia’s influence in Southeast Europe. With the book emphasising the role of pragmatism over ideology when it comes to understanding relations between Russia and the Balkan states, this meticulously researched study is essential reading, recommends Tena Prelec

Will the ICTY’s acquittal of Vojislav Šešelj heighten tensions in the Balkans?

After the Karadžić verdict, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) delivered another highly anticipated judgment on Thursday, 31 March: after a thirteen year trial, Serbian nationalist politician and self-proclaimed Chetnik leader Vojislav Šešelj was acquitted of all charges, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. Tena Prelec analyses the reactions to the trial and assesses what this may mean for relations in the region

Has the Western Balkans 6 process become a 'surrogate for the real thing'?

On 12 July, EU leaders met with Prime Ministers of Balkan countries in the Italian city of Trieste. Tena Prelec gives a first-hand account, writing that the ‘Western Balkans 6’ (WB6) initiative – or ‘Berlin Process’ – has had the laudable effect of keeping some attention on the Western Balkans in years when the EU enlargement process was paused, but is now at risk of becoming a substitute for enlargement itself, keeping the WB6 countries in limbo. While the jury is still out on the concrete outcomes this process will bring, a particularly bright development is occurring in the field of youth integration, with the establishment of the Regional Youth Cooperation Council (RYCO)

Croatia’s local elections: key takeaways and the duels to watch in the second round

Croatia held a first round of voting in local elections on 21 May, with the second round scheduled for 4 June. Tena Prelec assesses the results of the first round and previews some of the key mayoral races to watch as voters go back to the polls. The elections will be particularly noteworthy as they will give an indication of the trends ahead of expected early parliamentary elections later in the year

New privatisation wave: Serbia has enough mistakes to learn from

Unlike established market economies, in countries undergoing transition privatisation manifests itself as a large-scale property transfer and involves long-term consequences that can make or break their economies. Societal and political changes depend indirectly – though very closely – upon the way the process is carried out. Evidence has it that a big chunk of the most successful Serbian companies are still in state hands. This will have to change, if Serbia is to conform to the Western institutions’ trends of liberalisation and to cover up some of its budgetary holes. LSEE’s Tena Prelec discusses Serbia’s troubled relationship with the idea of privatisation

Serbian parliamentary election 2016: a gamble that almost backfired

On 24 April, Serbs were called to the polls only two years after the previous parliamentary contest, half-way through the government’s mandate. Reports in the international press focused on the elections being a test for the ruling party’s ‘pro-European’ positions against the advancement of the nationalist far right. Tena Prelec argues that this is only part of the picture, and far from being the most important matter

Fatmir Besimi: wire-tapping scandal is taking Macedonia ‘in the opposite direction’

Better integration among different communities and more equal spending of funds is key to Macedonia’s future, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Besimi says in an exclusive interview with LSEE’s Tena Prelec. He talks about the recent wire-tapping revelations, the controversial education reform, freedom of the media, the Skopje 2014 project and the naming dispute with Greece

Interview with Aleksandar Vucic: ‘We’re not asking for mercy, but reforming Serbia’

We caught up with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic after his talk at the London School of Economics, held on 27 October 2014. Interview by Tena Prelec

Serbian presidential election 2017: can Vučić pull a Putin-Medvedev?

Serbia’s ruling party, the SNS, has announced that their candidate at this spring’s presidential election will be none other than the Prime Minister himself – Aleksandar Vučić. Will this bold move allow the SNS to keep their hold on power? Tena Prelec outlines the scenarios, taking stock of the controversies that have accompanied Serbian politics over the past year