The Trumpization of it all
The lasting waves of the Trump-Putin bromance, the verdict of a much-anticipated trial, and tireless students. But also — legendary soups and cult movies.
Welcome back!
This is Balkan Brew, the newsletter for all your Balkan needs. We hear it’s getting pretty cold out there — hope you’re staying warm and cozy.
This week’s edition is packed, so let’s dive right in.
We’ll cover the ripple effects of the Trump-Putin bromance in the region, the much-anticipated verdict in one of the most important trials in recent Bosnian history, and the long marches of Serbian students. But also: a legendary soup and a cult horror movie from Yugoslavia, courtesy of one of our dedicated readers.
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The Trumpization of it all
This week, Trump made one thing clear: this is not business as usual. Talks in Riyadh between Russia and the U.S., plus VP JD Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference, have put America’s alliances in question.
MOVING PIECES. Trump’s team is famously unpredictable, making forecasts tricky. But some of his policies could have a major regional impact.
WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS. Romanian officials stated that during the Riyadh talks, the Russian delegation requested a U.S. withdrawal from Eastern Europe, including Romania.
REASSURANCE? Such a move would be deeply concerning for the region — especially for Moldova. The U.S. administration has reassured that no such withdrawal is planned... if you believe them.
TIME AND ENERGY. Trump’s urgency to broker a peace or ceasefire agreement in Ukraine could free up Russia’s focus to return to the Balkans.
UNEXPECTED ATTENTION. When we wrote our special issue on the U.S. elections the general consensus was that the Balkans would remain of marginal importance to the U.S. Lately, however, signs suggest otherwise.
SIGN #1. Peter Marocco, now responsible for dismantling USAID, secretly met with sanctioned Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik in 2018. He later sought to halt programs supporting Bosnia’s unified government and pushed a “militaristic and Christian nationalist” agenda.
SIGN #2. U.S. special envoy Richard Grenell called for the release of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, currently on trial at The Hague. One explanation? Washington may be seeking a government in Pristina that it can influence more easily.
SIGN #3 The U.S. is reportedly pressuring Romania to allow populist Călin Georgescu to run for president while also pushing to lift travel restrictions on the Tate brothers, who are on trial for rape and human trafficking.
A trial like no other
On Thursday, Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik had his final hearing at Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state-level court. The first-instance verdict is set for February 26.
THE TRIAL. Dodik and Miloš Lučić, former acting director of Republika Srpska’s Official Gazette, are charged with knowingly defying decisions issued by High Representative Christian Schmidt in July 2023.
10 YEARS. Prosecutor Nedim Cošić is seeking prison sentences of 6 months to 5 years for both defendants, plus a 10-year ban from holding public office.
WHAT’S NEXT? Tensions are high in the country. Dodik and several Republika Srpska officials have threatened repercussions in case of a guilty verdict. We’ll be here to let you know how it turns out.
The long walk
Last Saturday, tens of thousands from all over Serbia joined students marching to Kragujevac to protest against the government.
MISSED SOMETHING? Here’s our special issue with everything you need to know about the protests.
THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN’. New protests are scheduled for this weekend in Vršac and on March 1 in Niš. Students will once again march across Serbia to get there.
CHOOSE YOUR OWN CONSPIRACY: Serbian authorities are calling the protests a “colored revolution” funded by the West. But several experts, citing diplomatic sources, claim Serbian officials are framing the protests as a result of Russian interference when dealing with Western countries.
IN OTHER NEWS.
Greece is losing about half of its drinking water through its pipelines — a major issue for a country already hit hard by drought and climate change.
Montenegro should cancel its free-visa regime for countries like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to align with EU requirements, but they’re hesitant. They worry it could impact investments.
The Grand Hotel in Pristina, once seen as a symbol of Kosovo’s progress, is now falling apart after a failed privatization process.
AND FINALLY. This week, Zoran Milanović was sworn in for another term as Croatia’s president. Jutarnji published an article about the favorite foods of every Croatian president, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Milanović’s is grah — the classic bean soup eaten all over the region (it’s one of our favorites as well). He’s especially into vojnički grah, or “military bean soup”, a dish with legendary status from the old Yugoslav People’s Army (here’s the original recipe from a 1983 JNA cookbook).
SERBIA’S LOT. If you’re getting in the mood for the upcoming Academy Awards, one of our readers recommends checking out this interview with Nosferatu director Robert Eggers, where he calls the Yugoslav/Serbian horror film Leptirica a major influence.
You can also watch the movie for free, with English subtitles, here.
And that’s it for this week! If you liked the newsletter, take a moment to recommend it to someone who might love it. As always, if you want to get in touch, all you need to do is reply to this email. You can also find us on Bluesky: Tommaso & Rodolfo.
Until next week, you keep warm and don’t go batty,
BB