Across The Balkans: Bosnia on the Brink of Breaking Up? | North Macedonia-Bulgaria Ethnic Tensions

Since the end of the Bosnian War in 1995, people for the first time are asking if the country could be heading back towards armed conflict. Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik says he will withdraw the Serb-led entity, Republika Srpska, from state institutions and work towards full autonomy. The new High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt is warning the country faces its 'greatest existential threat of the postwar period'. Aksel Zaimovic reports from Sarajevo.

Plus, North Macedonia is also facing political upheaval, with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev stepping down after his party lost several cities in local elections. His resignation follows months of declining popularity for Zaev as he struggled to keep the economy keep on track during the pandemic and amid controversy over the country's stalled accession to the European Union. Neighbouring Bulgaria has been blocking North Macedonia's EU accession talks, citing disputes over its history, language and identity, which it insists have Bulgarian roots. We discuss the dispute and what it would take to resolve it with Sofia University Professor Anton Panchev and Skopje-based political analyst Petar Arsovski.

Across The Balkans, hosted by Nafisa Latic, is TRT World’s programme that focuses specifically on the issues and fault lines shaping Southeast Europe today.

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