Show notes
A major verdict has been handed down in The Hague: formerKosovo president Hashim Thaçi has been found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Adam and Alexandra discuss what the ruling could mean for Kosovo, its politics and the wider debate over transitional justice in the Western Balkans.We also look at a new wave of repression against independent voices in Azerbaijan, devastating wildfires in Croatia, and the latest BRICS summit in New Delhi – where Russia’s war against Ukraine was notably absent from the final declaration.Finally, we return to growing security concerns on NATO’s eastern flank, including reports of a Russian drone entering Lithuanian airspace, an attack drone washing ashore in Poland, and recent attacks on railway infrastructure near the Polish-Ukrainian border.In the extended version of the podcast, for Patrons only,Adam reflects on the developments in the region over the last 15 years, in the context of the latest issue of New Eastern Europe which is commemorating the magazine’s 15 years of publication.Get access to the full episode and support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeTIMESTAMPS00:00 – Intro01:20 – Hashim Thaçi found guilty: what happens next in Kosovo?06:10 – Azerbaijan’s crackdown on independent voices10:32 – Wildfires hit Croatia’s Brač Island12:08 – Brief Eastern Europe12:00 – BRICS summit: Ukraine disappears from the declaration14:12 – China, BRICS and the Global South16:31 – New security alarms on NATO’s eastern flank18:34 – New Eastern Europe celebrates 15 years