EU enlargement27/02/2026, Luisa Chiodi, Gentiola Madhi
The future of the cohesion policy26/02/2026, Federico Baccini Brussels
what’s trending
ProtestsFor over two months, the opposition in Albania has been taking to the streets to denounce high-level corruption and demand the resignation of the government. The protests were sparked by the case of Belinda Balluku, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure, who is under investigation by the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office
25/02/2026, Erisa Kryeziu Tirana
ReportageThe neighbourhood of 5 Maji, north of Tirana, is at the centre of a controversial and opaque urban renewal plan. Several houses have already been demolished to make way for new buildings, leaving residents in a precarious situation. Reportage
25/02/2026, Federico Caruso, Francesca Barca
Art and SocietyConstantin Brâncuși, one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century, was born on 19 February 1876, in Hobița, Romania. This year, in Romania and beyond, numerous initiatives are planned to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the artist’s birth. A review of key events
20/02/2026, Oana Dumbrava
EU presidencyAs Cyprus takes over the EU Council presidency, Brussels frames the moment as one of continuity and procedural competence. On the ground, in a capital shaped by division, the picture is more complex
20/02/2026, Mary Drosopoulos Nicosia
ReportageThe landscape of Tirana is increasingly characterised by skyscrapers of all shapes and heights, designed by the most renowned European architects. But these new homes are unaffordable for residents and remain largely empty. Reportage
19/02/2026, Francesca Barca, Federico Caruso
JusticeThe trial against former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi and the KLA leadership for war crimes is in its final stages. While the verdict is expected in the coming months, many are protesting in the streets of Pristina in support of the defendants
19/02/2026, Arta Berisha Pristina
Podcast
Fighting Corruption in the Western Balkans as part of the EU’s Enlargement Reprioritisation
by European Talks
From our community: news, appeals and calls to action
History and memoryImages from one of Greece’s darkest hours, the Kaisariani massacre, offered for sale eight decades later: within minutes, they escaped the marketplace and entered the public conscience, igniting a national reckoning over memory
02/03/2026, Mary Drosopoulos Atene
- EU enlargement
The formal alignment with EU public procurement rules is bypassed by Western Balkans’ adoption of special laws, triggering risks of favoritism and corruptive practices. “EPPO’s jurisdiction should be part of the accession treaty”, declares Miloš Pavković, Chief Strategist at European Policy Center (CEP) in Belgrade
27/02/2026, Luisa Chiodi, Gentiola Madhi
- The future of the cohesion policy
MEPs want to prevent funds in the new cycle from being allocated “based on national preferences rather than shared European criteria and objectives.” Interview with Siegfried Mureșan, co-rapporteur on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034
26/02/2026, Federico Baccini Brussels
Between inclusion in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and the end of roaming charges, the positive approach of gradual integration into the Union also carries “the risk that we won’t get any further.” An interview with Richard Grieveson, Deputy Director of the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies
25/02/2026, Federico Baccini Brussels
- Protests
For over two months, the opposition in Albania has been taking to the streets to denounce high-level corruption and demand the resignation of the government. The protests were sparked by the case of Belinda Balluku, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure, who is under investigation by the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office
25/02/2026, Erisa Kryeziu Tirana
- Reportage
The neighbourhood of 5 Maji, north of Tirana, is at the centre of a controversial and opaque urban renewal plan. Several houses have already been demolished to make way for new buildings, leaving residents in a precarious situation. Reportage
25/02/2026, Federico Caruso, Francesca Barca
