With nearly 58% of the vote, interim President Iliyana Yotova scored a clear victory in yesterday’s Bulgarian presidential runoff. The result strengthens Prime Minister Rumen Radev – her political mentor – while also endorsing Sofia’s conciliatory approach towards the Kremlin

02/11/2026, Francesco Martino  Sofia

Albania needs a broader political agreement that goes beyond the question of who governs, addressing democratic accountability, electoral competition, EU integration, and political parties’ reform. An interview with political expert Afrim Krasniqi

02/11/2026, Arbjona Çibuku  Tirana

Among the most prolific and original voices in Turkish poetry of her generation, Nilay Özer discusses her vision of the creative process, feminism and the role of intellectuals in contemporary Turkey, as well as her poetic influences, such as the fundamental one embodied by Nâzım Hikmet. Our interview

30/10/2026, Andrea Lazzaroni  Istanbul

After two years of protests, the student-led list triumphed in Serbia’s elections. Popular assemblies without leaders, candidates chosen from experts and civil society representatives, a country traveled on foot and by bike: an experiment that intertwines participation, deliberation and representation, also addressing a Europe grappling with authoritarianism. A comment by OBCT director Luisa Chiodi

30/10/2026, Luisa Chiodi 

Ljubomir Stefanović, a journalist and founder of the portal Slavija Info, has left Serbia and requested asylum in Montenegro. He claims to be the target of systematic persecution by the Serbian security services — including wiretapping, the confiscation of his professional equipment, and various forms of pressure — which he says have intensified ahead of the elections in Serbia

29/10/2026, Vukašin Obradović  Podgorica

Despite the clear victory for the students, the night of October 25th could have taken a violent turn. Pressure reportedly convinced Vučić to abandon the option of resorting to violence

29/10/2026, Massimo Moratti