On 26 September 2025, the Institute partnered with the Sarajevo Security Conference to host a panel on Invisible hands: Unmasking foreign interference in the Western Balkans.
The panel brought together leading experts from the Western Balkans, the EU, and across the Atlantic to examine how malign interference should be understood in today’s turbulent geopolitical environment. Experts highlighted the interplay between external influence and domestic enablers, re-examined how interference is defined, questioned the line between allies and adversaries, and mapped pathways to bolster resilience while situating the Western Balkans within the wider strategic competition.
Panelists:
- Manuel Sarrazin, President of the Southeast Europe Association and Former Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Federal Government of Germany
- Valery Perry, Senior Associate, Democratization Policy Council
- Vuk Vuksanović, Senior Researcher, Belgrade Center for Security Policy, and Associate, LSE IDEAS
- Robin Brooks, Tufts University and former Special Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris
- André de Munter, Desk officer for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Türkiye, European Parliament
The discussion was organised and moderated by Bojana Zorić, Policy Analyst for Western Balkans and Eastern Neighbourhood at the Institute.
