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Bojana Zorić

Dr Bojana Zorić joined the Institute in September 2023 as an Associate Analyst for the Western Balkans. In this capacity, she covers the analysis of policy and security developments in the Western Balkans, particularly in the context of enlargement, transatlantic relations, third-party influence, as well as other day-to-day developments that affect Euro-Atlantic security infrastructure.  

Previously, she held the position of Senior Policy Analyst at the Regional Cooperation Council in Sarajevo, where she, among others, led the analysis of the Balkan Barometer, including in security and (geo)political domains. Before that, she was stationed in Brussels with the European Committee of the Regions and in Stockholm with the Swedish International Liberal Centre, where she worked on democracy building and promotion in Eastern Partnership countries.

Bojana contributed to book volumes published by Routledge and Springer Handbook of Political Science and International Relations and has published in several peer-reviewed journals focusing on security developments in the Western Balkans, including in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, and North Macedonia. 

She holds a PhD in Political Science with a specialisation in Security Studies from Masaryk University. She also completed an MA in European Union-Russia Studies at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies (University of Tartu) and an MA in Russian Philology and Pedagogy at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (University of Zagreb). As part of her academic journey, she also studied at KU Leuven, Saint Petersburg State University, and Tallinn University.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 (1999) and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

  • 22October 2024
    Bojana Zorić in Diari ARA

    In an article on the Italy-Albania asylum deal, Bojana Zorić discussed the deal’s impact on EU migration policy and Albania’s role. She noted that ‘the exclusive deal is beneficial to both sides. For Italy, it reduces migrant reception costs, while Albania gains by demonstrating its cooperation with an EU Member State as it seeks to advance its EU membership bid.’ However, applying this model to other EU members and candidates will depend on the deal’s success.

  • 30September 2024
    10 ideas for the new team in Swiss press

    Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported on the "10 ideas for the new team" Chaillot Paper. Highlighting our idea to abandon the European Neighborhood Policy, but also to reassess EU-China relations and create a new Council for the defence of Europe.
    NZZ

  • 17September 2024
    "10 ideas for the new team" Chaillot Paper in B2

    The Chaillot Paper was featured in an article emphasising the need for the EU to adapt to a changing geopolitical landscape and highlighting key suggestions for strengthening Europe's role in global affairs. 

  • 13September 2024
    "Now is the time to reassess our strengths and weaknesses"

    Bojana Zorić spoke to Canal Europa about our new Chaillot Paper, "10 Ideas for the New Team," explaining the rationale, logic, and content of the ten ideas. She highlighted the timely release of the paper, coinciding with the new EU leadership. "We expect these ten ideas to be considered and discussed at the highest levels within the EU," she stated.
    Watch the interview (in Spanish)

  • 30August 2024
    Bojana Zorić on Macron's visit to Serbia

    Bojana Zorić spoke to TV channel N1 about the key motivations behind President Macron’s visit to Serbia, emphasizing both economic and political dimensions of the visit. Economically, the visit was primarily focused on finalising a significant contract for Serbia’s acquisition of 12 Rafale fighter jets from France. On the political front, Macron’s visit was also intended to reaffirm France’s strong support for Serbia’s European integration.

  • 01June 2024
    EUISS Brief featured in Gazeta Express

    Our Brief has been highlighted in an article by Gazeta Express. The piece discusses the importance of vigilant monitoring and sustained diplomatic engagement in the Western Balkans to prevent security escalations. It also underscores our recommendations for stabilising the region. 

  • 23November 2023
    Bojana Zorić in Deutsche Welle

    On the occasion of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s visit to the Western Balkans, Bojana Zorić was interviewed by Deutsche Welle in the article: "What is NATO’s Balkan plan as Kosovo and Bosnia wobble?". 
    Deutsche Welle

  • 01November 2023
    Bojana Zorić in AlJazeera Balkans

    Bojana Zorić was interviewed to discuss security in the Western Balkans. 
    AlJazeera Balkans (in Bosnian) 

Džankić, J., Bonomi, M., Juzová, J. & Zorić, B., 2024. Enlargement on Hold: The Price Europe Pays. REWEU “(Re)uniting the East and West: Reflections on the impact of 2004 enlargement, funded by the European Commission (European Education and Culture Executive Agency – EACEA). Available at: http://20years.eu/enlargement-on-hold/.

Němec, J. and Zorić, B., 2024. Friends of Foes within the Pan-Slavic Brotherhood: A Narrative Analysis of Aleksandar Vučić’s Stance on Russia’s Aggression Against Ukraine. Cambridge University Press. Available at: Cambridge University Press


Stojarová, V. and Zorić, B., 2024. Political Islam and Islamism in the Western Balkans. In: Springer Handbook of Political Islam in Europe: Activities, Means, and Strategies from Salafists to the Muslim Brotherhood and Beyond. Springer Handbooks of Political Science and International Relations. Available at: Springer


Zorić, B. and Stojarová, V., 2023. Non-Western influence operations in North Macedonia: a reason for concern or push towards the west? European Security, 32(4). Available at: European Security

Zorić, B. and Němec, J., 2023. Gospels of Reconciliation in North Macedonia: Skating on the Thin Ice of Albanian-Macedonian Inter-Ethnic Dialogue. Peace Review, a Journal of Social Justice, 35(1). Available at: Peace Review


Zorić, B. and Stojarová, V., 2022. Building Sustainable Peace and Security in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Dancing in a Vicious Circle. In: Peace and Security in the Western Balkans: A Local Perspective. Available at: Routledge