Tomas VALASEK (Slovakia) - GENERAL REPORT
11 October 2025
This report was adopted by the Political Committee at the 71st Annual Session held in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Thirty years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords, the Western Balkans remains a region marked by both significant progress and enduring challenges. The Accords brought an end to one of Europe’s most devastating conflicts of the post–Cold War era and initiated a transformation of NATO as it embraced a role in crisis management. Yet, the region continues to grapple with complex political dynamics, ethno-nationalist divisions, mounting internal political crises, and external interference.
This report looks into of the region’s evolution since Dayton, highlighting both the advances made and the persistent vulnerabilities. NATO membership of Albania, Montenegro, and
North Macedonia has served as a catalyst for democratic reforms, regional cooperation, and economic development, even as EU integration remains a work in progress.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), however, stands at a crossroads. A renewed political crisis, sparked by the Republika Srpska’s escalating defiance of state institutions and rejection of the High Representative’s authority, threatens the country’s fragile constitutional order. While BiH has made sporadic reform progress, deep-rooted ethnic divisions and political deadlock continue to undermine its Euro-Atlantic trajectory. The international community must remain firm in its support for BiH’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while encouraging
reform-minded actors and institutions.
While Belgrade advances EU accession and deepens cooperation with NATO, it pursues a policy of military neutrality and maintains strong ties with Russia and China. Meanwhile, Belgrade’s unresolved relationship with Pristina remains a persistent source of tension. Despite EU-facilitated dialogues, the normalisation process with Pristina remains stalled, with repeated outbreaks of violence in northern Kosovo and was further complicated by Kosovo’s protracted institutional deadlock since its February 2025 elections. NATO’s KFOR mission continues to play a critical role in deterring conflict and maintaining stability.
The Western Balkans is increasingly vulnerable to malign external influence. Russia exploits ethnic divisions and spreads disinformation to undermine Euro-Atlantic integration, particularly in BiH and Serbia. China’s economic influence, while more subtle, raises long-term governance and debt sustainability concerns. A coordinated strategy by NATO and the EU is essential to counter hybrid threats and support democratic resilience.
The report concludes that deeper NATO and EU engagement is essential to ensure the region does not regress. Sustained political commitment, reform incentives, robust deterrence messaging, and strategic communication are all vital to reinforcing the Western Balkans’ European and/or Euro-Atlantic path and preventing the emergence of a security vacuum at NATO’s southeastern flank.
