Dragoș Ioniță
@dragosionita.bsky.social
Researcher of Europeanization and #EUenlargement in the #WesternBalkans; MA in Diplomacy and International Negotiations at #SNSPA Bucharest
#Balkan Region enthusiast
Publications: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dragos-Ionita-6
#Balkan Region enthusiast
Publications: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dragos-Ionita-6
#Ukraine’s leaders, like #BosniaHerzegovina’s in 1995, must make a choice. They can try to massage the details, but ultimately, they must choose whether to say yes or no to #Washington. And then deal with the consequences of that choice.
odgovor.ba/article/5552/
odgovor.ba/article/5552/
Lessons from an Unjust Peace: Bosnia 1995 and Ukraine Today
It is a historical coincidence but a nevertheless instructive one. We observe the 30th anniversary of the initialing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, just as the Trump administration mounts a major pres...
odgovor.ba
November 29, 2025 at 3:11 PM
#Ukraine’s leaders, like #BosniaHerzegovina’s in 1995, must make a choice. They can try to massage the details, but ultimately, they must choose whether to say yes or no to #Washington. And then deal with the consequences of that choice.
odgovor.ba/article/5552/
odgovor.ba/article/5552/
#China’s Special Representative for cooperation with the CEE space carried out a focused diplomatic tour, visiting #Montenegro, #Albania & #Greece at a moment when the China CEEC platform, previously branded as 17+1, continues to lose its cohesion.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
China’s quiet reset in the Balkans: What Chen Guoyou’s tour really signals
China’s Special Representative Chen Guoyou toured Montenegro, Greece, and Albania from November 17–21, signaling Beijing’s commitment to maintaining influence as the CEEC platform loses cohesion.
substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:33 PM
#China’s Special Representative for cooperation with the CEE space carried out a focused diplomatic tour, visiting #Montenegro, #Albania & #Greece at a moment when the China CEEC platform, previously branded as 17+1, continues to lose its cohesion.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
A small neighbourhood in the city of Elbasan (central #Albania) became a new home for many ethnic Albanians who left today’s #Kosovo and #NorthMacedonia in the 1930s. Residents recount tales of their ancestors who settled there and the locals’ hospitality.
prishtinainsight.com/from-haven-t...
prishtinainsight.com/from-haven-t...
From Haven to Isolation: Tales of Albanians Migrating to Albania - Prishtina Insight
A small neighbourhood in central Albania became a new home for many ethnic Albanians who left today’s Kosovo and North Macedonia in the 1930s. Residents recount tales of their ancestors who settled t...
prishtinainsight.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:33 PM
A small neighbourhood in the city of Elbasan (central #Albania) became a new home for many ethnic Albanians who left today’s #Kosovo and #NorthMacedonia in the 1930s. Residents recount tales of their ancestors who settled there and the locals’ hospitality.
prishtinainsight.com/from-haven-t...
prishtinainsight.com/from-haven-t...
#Greece, #Bulgaria and #Cyprus are planning to strengthen their defense capabilities with the addition of drones, as part of a joint initiative under the "Measures for the Security of Europe" program.
www.novinite.com/view_news.ph...
www.novinite.com/view_news.ph...
Greece, Bulgaria, and Cyprus to Boost Defense with Drones under European Program - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency
Greece, Bulgaria, and Cyprus are planning to strengthen their defense capabilities with the addition of drones, as part of a joint initiative under a European security program. According to Greek medi...
www.novinite.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:33 PM
#Greece, #Bulgaria and #Cyprus are planning to strengthen their defense capabilities with the addition of drones, as part of a joint initiative under the "Measures for the Security of Europe" program.
www.novinite.com/view_news.ph...
www.novinite.com/view_news.ph...
The U.S. ultimately wants regime change, but it also wants to protect U.S. interests and assets. The military deployments, then, are just one part of a larger political and economic strategy to bring down #Venezuela's Maduro.
geopoliticalfutures.com/explaining-u...
geopoliticalfutures.com/explaining-u...
Explaining US Strategy Toward Venezuela - Geopolitical Futures
By now, it’s clear that military deployments in the Caribbean Sea are not just about curbing drug trafficking and its associated threats to the United
geopoliticalfutures.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:32 PM
The U.S. ultimately wants regime change, but it also wants to protect U.S. interests and assets. The military deployments, then, are just one part of a larger political and economic strategy to bring down #Venezuela's Maduro.
geopoliticalfutures.com/explaining-u...
geopoliticalfutures.com/explaining-u...
#NorthMacedonia:
- Most citizens get their news from national TV & social media.
- 76% of respondents stating they would like to see the country join the Union.
- Public support for #NATO stands at 74%.
- #Bulgaria emerges as the most frequently cited security concern.
- Most citizens get their news from national TV & social media.
- 76% of respondents stating they would like to see the country join the Union.
- Public support for #NATO stands at 74%.
- #Bulgaria emerges as the most frequently cited security concern.
November 28, 2025 at 6:41 PM
#NorthMacedonia:
- Most citizens get their news from national TV & social media.
- 76% of respondents stating they would like to see the country join the Union.
- Public support for #NATO stands at 74%.
- #Bulgaria emerges as the most frequently cited security concern.
- Most citizens get their news from national TV & social media.
- 76% of respondents stating they would like to see the country join the Union.
- Public support for #NATO stands at 74%.
- #Bulgaria emerges as the most frequently cited security concern.
#Europe’s focus on #Ukraine’s perilous “kill zone” obscures a second front: a hybrid war into the continent’s “comfort zone”. Europeans must confront this second assault with clarity and cohesion, lest the foundations of their security crumble.
ecfr.eu/article/euro...
ecfr.eu/article/euro...
Europe’s two wars: The danger of the comfort zone
Europe’s focus on Ukraine’s perilous “kill zone” obscures a second front: a hybrid war into the continent’s “comfort zone”. Europeans must confront this second assault with clarity and cohesion…
ecfr.eu
November 28, 2025 at 6:36 PM
#Europe’s focus on #Ukraine’s perilous “kill zone” obscures a second front: a hybrid war into the continent’s “comfort zone”. Europeans must confront this second assault with clarity and cohesion, lest the foundations of their security crumble.
ecfr.eu/article/euro...
ecfr.eu/article/euro...
#Romania's Defense Minister Ionuț Moșteanu resigned over false claims on his resume, marking the second time in recent weeks that a #NATO country close to Russia has had to change its defense leadership.
www.politico.eu/article/roma...
www.politico.eu/article/roma...
Romania’s defense minister resigns over false claims on his CV
Ionuț Moșteanu said he graduated from a Bucharest university despite never attending the school, local media reported.
www.politico.eu
November 28, 2025 at 6:36 PM
#Romania's Defense Minister Ionuț Moșteanu resigned over false claims on his resume, marking the second time in recent weeks that a #NATO country close to Russia has had to change its defense leadership.
www.politico.eu/article/roma...
www.politico.eu/article/roma...
The first day of the Bucharest Security Conference (#BSC) brought an insightful debate on the fragile peace in #BosniaHerzegovina and the impact of the #DaytonAgreement on regional security.
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
#bucharestsecurityconference #bosniaherzegovina | Dragoș Ioniță
The first day of the #BucharestSecurityConference brought an insightful debate on the fragile peace in #BosniaHerzegovina and the impact of the Dayton Agreement on regional security.
Drawing on exper...
www.linkedin.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:36 PM
The first day of the Bucharest Security Conference (#BSC) brought an insightful debate on the fragile peace in #BosniaHerzegovina and the impact of the #DaytonAgreement on regional security.
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
[email protected] for @biepag.bsky.social:
"Years were lost. No — decades. Twenty-two years since the Thessaloniki promise, and the #WesternBalkans is still orbiting the EU like a satellite nobody wants to land."
www.biepag.eu/blog/why-the...
"Years were lost. No — decades. Twenty-two years since the Thessaloniki promise, and the #WesternBalkans is still orbiting the EU like a satellite nobody wants to land."
www.biepag.eu/blog/why-the...
November 27, 2025 at 2:06 PM
[email protected] for @biepag.bsky.social:
"Years were lost. No — decades. Twenty-two years since the Thessaloniki promise, and the #WesternBalkans is still orbiting the EU like a satellite nobody wants to land."
www.biepag.eu/blog/why-the...
"Years were lost. No — decades. Twenty-two years since the Thessaloniki promise, and the #WesternBalkans is still orbiting the EU like a satellite nobody wants to land."
www.biepag.eu/blog/why-the...
Much of the older archive material on ministerial websites in #NorthMacedonia has disappeared during a botched redesign – a disturbing development for a country whose history remains disputed.
balkaninsight.com/2025/11/27/4...
balkaninsight.com/2025/11/27/4...
404 Not Found: Archives Vanish from North Macedonia’s Revamped Govt Websites
Much of the older archive material on ministerial websites has disappeared during a botched redesign – a disturbing development for a country whose history remains disputed.
balkaninsight.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Much of the older archive material on ministerial websites in #NorthMacedonia has disappeared during a botched redesign – a disturbing development for a country whose history remains disputed.
balkaninsight.com/2025/11/27/4...
balkaninsight.com/2025/11/27/4...
“ #Serbia is not over-indebted to #China in terms of the overall level of debt, but the debt growth rate and the issue of its concentration among creditors can be a warning sign.”
www.bbc.com/serbian/arti...
www.bbc.com/serbian/arti...
Koliko i za šta sve Srbija duguje Kini - BBC News na srpskom
Stotine miliona dolara stiglo je od kineskih državnih banaka u Srbiju u vidu kredita za poslednjih četvrt veka, često pod posebnim uslovima, pokazuje analiza međunarodne organizacije koja je pratila t...
www.bbc.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:45 AM
“ #Serbia is not over-indebted to #China in terms of the overall level of debt, but the debt growth rate and the issue of its concentration among creditors can be a warning sign.”
www.bbc.com/serbian/arti...
www.bbc.com/serbian/arti...
#Serbia has not made a single step towards the EU for 3.5 years. Yet recently, something unexpected happened – #France and #Italy gave Belgrade a boost and sent a letter to the other member states urging them to give the green light for opening Cluster 3.
www.serbianmonitor.com/en/france-an...
www.serbianmonitor.com/en/france-an...
France and Italy launch offensive for Serbia – Serbian Monitor
Serbia has not made a single step towards the European Union (EU) for three and a half years, and in recent days, something unexpected happened – France and Italy have decided to push Belgrade towards...
www.serbianmonitor.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:17 AM
#Serbia has not made a single step towards the EU for 3.5 years. Yet recently, something unexpected happened – #France and #Italy gave Belgrade a boost and sent a letter to the other member states urging them to give the green light for opening Cluster 3.
www.serbianmonitor.com/en/france-an...
www.serbianmonitor.com/en/france-an...
Drone incursions in #Romania and #Moldova have raised fears among residents near the Danube River, leading to temporary evacuations.
Romania has legislation to shoot down drones during peacetime, but has not yet used.
www.rferl.org/a/romanian-d...
Romania has legislation to shoot down drones during peacetime, but has not yet used.
www.rferl.org/a/romanian-d...
Romanian Mayor Says His Village Now 'Part Of The War' Amid Russian Drone Incursions
German and Romanian fighter jets scrambled on November 25 to track the latest in a series of drone incursions into the NATO-member’s airspace as Russia continues to attack targets just across the Danu...
www.rferl.org
November 27, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Drone incursions in #Romania and #Moldova have raised fears among residents near the Danube River, leading to temporary evacuations.
Romania has legislation to shoot down drones during peacetime, but has not yet used.
www.rferl.org/a/romanian-d...
Romania has legislation to shoot down drones during peacetime, but has not yet used.
www.rferl.org/a/romanian-d...
For the 4th consecutive year, the annual gathering of EU leaders with their counterparts from the #WesternBalkans will take place on the eve of the last European Council of the year. In 2026, it will move to #Montenegro, for the 2nd time ever in the region.
newunionpost.eu/2025/11/27/e...
newunionpost.eu/2025/11/27/e...
The 2025 EU-Western Balkans Summit set for 17 December
As has now become tradition, the EU-Western Balkans Summit will be held in Brussels, on the eve of the last European Council of the year
newunionpost.eu
November 27, 2025 at 9:15 AM
For the 4th consecutive year, the annual gathering of EU leaders with their counterparts from the #WesternBalkans will take place on the eve of the last European Council of the year. In 2026, it will move to #Montenegro, for the 2nd time ever in the region.
newunionpost.eu/2025/11/27/e...
newunionpost.eu/2025/11/27/e...
#Poland is gearing up for one of its most ambitious projects yet — officials have announced plans to begin formal talks next year on submitting a bid to host the 𝟮𝟬𝟰𝟬 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀.
www.polskieradio.pl/395/7991/Art...
www.polskieradio.pl/395/7991/Art...
Poland eyes bid to host 2040 Summer Olympics
Poland plans to begin talks next year on formally submitting a bid to host the 2040 Summer Olympic Games, officials have said.
www.polskieradio.pl
November 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
#Poland is gearing up for one of its most ambitious projects yet — officials have announced plans to begin formal talks next year on submitting a bid to host the 𝟮𝟬𝟰𝟬 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀.
www.polskieradio.pl/395/7991/Art...
www.polskieradio.pl/395/7991/Art...
A new brief for CeSPI's Balkan Focus analyses #Montenegro’s accession trajectory, highlighting structural weaknesses within #EUenlargement framework and identifying priority actions to meet Podgorica’s goals of joining the Union by 2028.
More: www.cespi.it/sites/defaul...
More: www.cespi.it/sites/defaul...
November 26, 2025 at 7:24 AM
A new brief for CeSPI's Balkan Focus analyses #Montenegro’s accession trajectory, highlighting structural weaknesses within #EUenlargement framework and identifying priority actions to meet Podgorica’s goals of joining the Union by 2028.
More: www.cespi.it/sites/defaul...
More: www.cespi.it/sites/defaul...
President Aleksandar Vučić says the Serbian government adopted his proposal to give Russian partners 50 days to find a new owner for Petroleum Industry of Serbia, otherwise #Serbia will install its own management & offer Russia “the highest possible price.”
europeanwesternbalkans.com/2025/11/25/v...
europeanwesternbalkans.com/2025/11/25/v...
Vučić: We will give the Russians a 50-day deadline to find a new owner of NIS - European Western Balkans
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić states that Serbia will give the Russian partners a 50-day deadline to find a new owner of NIS.
europeanwesternbalkans.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:17 AM
President Aleksandar Vučić says the Serbian government adopted his proposal to give Russian partners 50 days to find a new owner for Petroleum Industry of Serbia, otherwise #Serbia will install its own management & offer Russia “the highest possible price.”
europeanwesternbalkans.com/2025/11/25/v...
europeanwesternbalkans.com/2025/11/25/v...
One year since the beginning of mass protests in #Serbia, director Raul Abellan accepted the invitation to discuss with students from #SNSPA after the screening of his documentary "Wake Up, Serbia! #Pumpaj: The Student Uprising".
The movie can be watched here: www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
The movie can be watched here: www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
November 26, 2025 at 7:17 AM
One year since the beginning of mass protests in #Serbia, director Raul Abellan accepted the invitation to discuss with students from #SNSPA after the screening of his documentary "Wake Up, Serbia! #Pumpaj: The Student Uprising".
The movie can be watched here: www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
The movie can be watched here: www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
#Albania's Gen Z sees EU membership as a solution to corruption, governance failures, and economic stagnation. They trust EU standards, especially in areas like food safety and education, and expect integration to improve everyday life.
www.biepag.eu/blog/albania...
www.biepag.eu/blog/albania...
BiEPAG - Albanian Gen Z and the EU: Between Enthusiasm and Knowledge Gaps
Between April and June 2025, a youth perception initiative explored how Albanian young people view the European Union and the country’s integration path. The volunteer initiative gathered insights from across the country and shared them with the EU Delegation to Albania as well as at the EU Enlargement Forum, ensuring that youth voices were part of the broader European conversation.
www.biepag.eu
November 25, 2025 at 1:06 PM
#Albania's Gen Z sees EU membership as a solution to corruption, governance failures, and economic stagnation. They trust EU standards, especially in areas like food safety and education, and expect integration to improve everyday life.
www.biepag.eu/blog/albania...
www.biepag.eu/blog/albania...
The President disregards the dangerous provisions of the US-proposed "peace deal". The Parliament in Bucharest is absent from a common statement regarding the need to respect #Ukraine's territorial integrity & sovereignty.
And some still wonder why is #Romania absent from the negotiating table... 🤔
And some still wonder why is #Romania absent from the negotiating table... 🤔
November 25, 2025 at 6:44 AM
The President disregards the dangerous provisions of the US-proposed "peace deal". The Parliament in Bucharest is absent from a common statement regarding the need to respect #Ukraine's territorial integrity & sovereignty.
And some still wonder why is #Romania absent from the negotiating table... 🤔
And some still wonder why is #Romania absent from the negotiating table... 🤔
#Europe is not in the driving seat regarding the peace negotiations for #Ukraine, but it does have a plan. Elements of it are known since the very beginning of the war.
mihaelagherghisannaum.substack.com/p/why-didnt-...
mihaelagherghisannaum.substack.com/p/why-didnt-...
Why didn’t Europe come up with a peace plan first?
Answer: it already did and it’s now taking care of its interests
mihaelagherghisannaum.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:42 AM
#Europe is not in the driving seat regarding the peace negotiations for #Ukraine, but it does have a plan. Elements of it are known since the very beginning of the war.
mihaelagherghisannaum.substack.com/p/why-didnt-...
mihaelagherghisannaum.substack.com/p/why-didnt-...
Since #China's Zijin Mining Group acquired #Serbia's only copper and precious metals producer in 2018, it has become one of the country's largest exporters, with earnings nearing 1 billion euros by the end of 2024.
www.rferl.org/a/china-balk...
www.rferl.org/a/china-balk...
From Mines To Solar Plants, Chinese Projects Face Rare Legal Setbacks In The Balkans
In a rare instance of public resistance to Chinese-backed infrastructure projects in the Balkans, a tragic workplace death at a solar power plant in Bosnia has sparked a legal battle that halted const...
www.rferl.org
November 24, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Since #China's Zijin Mining Group acquired #Serbia's only copper and precious metals producer in 2018, it has become one of the country's largest exporters, with earnings nearing 1 billion euros by the end of 2024.
www.rferl.org/a/china-balk...
www.rferl.org/a/china-balk...
Over the 10 years, #Albania has undergone significant transformations, experiencing economic growth with GDP averaging around 4%, a reduction in poverty & the expansion of tourism. Infrastructure projects have reshaped the country’s economic landscape.
tiranaobservatory.com/2025/11/23/a...
tiranaobservatory.com/2025/11/23/a...
Albania: Between Reform Dynamics and Democratic Fragility - Tirana Observatory
Elez Biberaj Thirty-five years after Albania’s emergence from one of Europe’s most repressive communist regimes, the country’s democratic trajectory remains emblematic of post-authoritarian transforma...
tiranaobservatory.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Over the 10 years, #Albania has undergone significant transformations, experiencing economic growth with GDP averaging around 4%, a reduction in poverty & the expansion of tourism. Infrastructure projects have reshaped the country’s economic landscape.
tiranaobservatory.com/2025/11/23/a...
tiranaobservatory.com/2025/11/23/a...
The #EUenlargement process is a regatta, not a convoy. The process remains merit based & every candidate country must fulfil the accession criteria. European integration remains an ongoing process, even after the accession, progressing through successive dimensions.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/eu-enl...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/eu-enl...
EU Enlargement – a geopolitical imperative.
Between regatta and convoy: perspectives of the European project
On November 4, the European Commission published its annual EU Enlargement Package. Currently, there are nine official candidate countries for EU membership (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Mo...
www.linkedin.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:45 AM
The #EUenlargement process is a regatta, not a convoy. The process remains merit based & every candidate country must fulfil the accession criteria. European integration remains an ongoing process, even after the accession, progressing through successive dimensions.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/eu-enl...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/eu-enl...