Western Balkans

In November 2024, the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad killed 16 people and sparked the largest student-led protests in Serbia's modern history. Initial grief gave way to a decentralised movement that is demanding accountability, far-reaching reforms and new elections, despite brutal repression by the regime. The protests have exposed the failure of 'stabilitocracy' and brought Serbia's democratic future — and the EU's role in it — to the forefront of political debate.

While Brussels may see the Jadar lithium mining project as a strategic step toward a greener future, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić sees it as a tactical tool to reinforce his grip on power - just as hundreds of thousands rise to reclaim democracy.

The student protests have sparked a wave of democratic mass mobilization throughout Serbia. However, it remains to be seen whether the students’ demands can be translated into political and parliamentary action to enable a peaceful democratic new beginning. On March 15 2025, the most massive protest action yet is called for. Here are some assessments from an activists, journalists, analysts and representatives of the political opposition.

In this Böll·Europe Podcast episode we focus on parliamentary elections in Kosovo, which took place on Sunday 9 February 2025. Our guest is Granit Gashi, Kosovo Contact Point at the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's Belgrade office. Granit is an environmentalist and sustainability pioneer in Kosovo, and has previously worked for civil society organisations such as GAIA Kosovo, BirdLife Serbia. He’s also the co-founder of the Foundation for Animal Rights in Kosovo.

On 11 May 2025, Albania will hold parliamentary elections, the first since officially opening EU accession negotiations. While some significant changes mark this election—most notably, diaspora voting and partial candidate list openness—major systemic factors remain unchanged. The Socialist Party (SP), in power since 2013, appears poised for an unprecedented fourth mandate.

The EU integration process should not be a transactional relation between EU Member States and candidate countries, but a truly transformational path based on democratic values and human rights.” This was the main message which was conveyed by the members of the Western Balkans 6 Strategy Group during the advocacy visit with stakeholders on 18-20 November 2024 in Brussels. 

The lithium deal brings a new quality to Serbia’s foreign policy zigzagging. At one stroke, Serbia became a strategic partner and the guarantor for the future of the European Green Deal.

Serbia's lithium mining project in Jadar has been on hold because of mass protests against feared environmental damage. Now the EU wants to secure this lithium access for Europe - despite the political and legal conditions in Serbia. Interview with environmental and legal experts Mirko Popović and Jovan Rajić from the Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (RERI).