From politics to the media business, high expectations often go hand-in-hand with disappointments big and small, as our selection of Balkan Insight Premium stories this week shows.

Our selection of Premium stories this week takes a look at the region’s slow-burning political crises, smuggling networks, digital surveillance and a whole lot more.

Amid rising far-right sentiment, Romanian authorities are tightening laws against extremist propaganda, leading to complaints of censorship.

Firefighters and volunteers have been battling to contain wildfires that have broken out in the last 24 hours on the Greek islands of Chios and Crete.

Serbia sent record amounts of arms to Israel last year. But President Aleksandar Vucic said that since Israel attacked Iran, such exports have been stopped.

Romania’s President Nicusor Dan (L) and designated Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan (C) shake hands at the end of a joint media statement at Cotroceni Presidential Palace in Bucharest, Romania, 20 ...

Roman Giertych, lawyer, is surrounded by the press as he makes his way to the Poland’s National Public Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw, Poland, 03 August 2017.

The city of Niksic. Photo: Wikipedia/Janusz Recław. The suspected remains of three members of the Klapuh family – killed in 1992 after fleeing the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina – were exhumed ...

Supporters of the LGBTQ+ movement attend Gay Pride in Zagreb, Croatia, September 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/ANTONIO BAT. In a report published on Monday, the Council of Europe’s anti-racism commission ...

Iranian women take part during a protest against Israeli airstrikes in Tehran, Iran, 13 June 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH. Balkan countries voiced dismay over the implications of ...

Our selection of Premium stories looks at the political challenges, deadlocks and cliff-hanger elections that the region has seen this week. Romanian President Nicusor Dan addresses media in ...

Elsewhere, Fidesz withdraws Kremlin-style ‘censorship’ bill – for now; bizarre bitcoin scandal shakes Czech government months from election; and Slovak president backs rise in NATO spending.