Thousands of migrants have been gathering at the border between Belarus and Poland in a stand-off that has escalated in recent weeks, threatening a humanitarian disaster on the edge of the EU and raising tensions among political foes across the region. Although people are suffering and the weather is worsening, this conflict has no clear end in sight. Recent events have created a political storm and kindled numerous questions:
How has the crisis escalated?
Who is benefitting from the situation? Who is to blame for that?

The Open Balkan initiative is a regional integration agreement between countries of the Western Balkans, presented as a reaction to the slowing down of the process of European Integration for the six aspiring countries: Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro - confirmed as candidates for membership - and Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo - potential candidates. Three of them - Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia - have signed agreements to open their national borders to each other's citizens and products from 1 January 2023, without restrictions.

Peter Watkins became an associate fellow for Chatham House in June 2019. Before that, from 2014 to 2018, he was Director General (DG) in the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) responsible for strategic defence policy, including key multilateral and bilateral relationships (such as NATO), nuclear, cyber, space and prosperity (latterly this post was known as the DG Strategy and International).

There are many different perspectives on the BRI – from the financing that underpins it to the effects on Global South actors engaging with it. This seminar will explore beneath the surface rhetoric to examine the complexities of the changing BRI framework.

On 14 November, for the first time in the history of Bulgaria, parliamentary and presidential elections will take place at the same time. Following the protests in 2020, three new political parties entered parliament and shook up the Bulgarian political system. However, several attempts to form a government proved futile. Riding on a wave of popular support two former ministers of the caretaker government have formed a new political project to run in the elections. Early opinion polls indicate that six or seven parties will be represented in the new parliament.