IDM Blog

European governments: repatriate your citizens from northern Syria *This is an updated version of the blog that was originally published by ResPublica  on 25 October 2019. Author: Leonie Vrugtman On October 6, 2019, the White House announced that it would pull back its troops from Northern Syria in order for Turkey to …

Europeanization blowback: the stampede to join the EU and the Albanian institutional crisis  Author: Alban Dafa Shuttle lobbying June 2019 – The warm Albanian winds of early June seem to have pushed both the Albanian government and the opposition towards the cooling winds of Berlin and The Hague. They have been on …

Not a good start for “good luck” platform Author: Rovena Sulstarova The students’ protests of last December brought significant attention to some of the pressing issues with Albania’s education system, effectively putting concerns over the quality of higher education and employment prospects of recent graduates on the political agenda. The …

Enhancing the security of future EU gas supplies through the Albanian gateway Author: Alban Dafa March 2019 – The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project is set to bring natural gas supplies from the Caspian Shah Deniz II field to Western Europe in 2020. The project, which is part of the Southern …

Oops… EU did it again Author: Gjergji Vurmo Civil society activists and the general public in the western Balkans (WB) have voiced their discontent regarding the rise of authoritarianism and state capture in the recent years. However, the European Union (EU), which plays an important role in the region, has …

Future challenges of violent extremism in the Western Balkans *This article was originally published by the academic blog ResPublica  on 15 February 2019. Author: Leonie Vrugtman Western Balkan countries face a new security challenge: the deradicalization and reintegration of returnees. By 2017, at least 310 adults had returned to the …

Reconsidering the role of civil society and religious authorities in building community resilience in Albania Author: Romario Shehu 24 December 2018 – The proliferation of terrorist groups has turned violent extremism (VE) into a crucial concern in international politics. In facing this problem, states have advanced their national capacities and …

Terrorism-reporting in Western Balkans By Leonie Rakaj – Vrugtman, IDM Researcher 11 October 2018 – We all remember it as if it happened yesterday. Breaking News and interrupted TV programs, as New York’s World Trade Center towers were attacked. In awe of shock and unbelief those who were not watching …

Albania and the Geopolitics of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline: Regional and Domestic Dimensions September 2018 – The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) initiative was launched by the European Union (EU) in 2008 with the aim of developing a new supply route for Caspian and Middle Eastern gas to European markets and reducing the …

The Spinning Funding Mechanism: Civic Space and Good-Governance in Local Milieus in Albania *This article was firstly published at BCSDN portal on March 2018. Author: Dalina Jashari The role of the civil society in Albania in consolidating democracy and sustainable development has been a widespread statement among government actors and the donors’ community. …