Episode 123: Geopolitical and Geoeconomic Realities in the Western Balkans with Bernd Christoph Ströhm

In this episode, Philipp Lamprecht speaks with Bernd Christoph Ströhm, Senior Fellow at ECIPE and an expert at WIIW, about the critical geoeconomic and geopolitical shifts reshaping the Western Balkans. They explore how the region is currently facing a “structural shock” as a generation of doctors, engineers, and innovators migrates to the EU, driven by domestic corruption and a lack of meritocracy. Ströhm argues that this brain drain is hollowing out public services and slowing GDP growth, creating a vicious cycle that further weakens local institutions.

The conversation also tackles the “integration fatigue” stalling EU enlargement. While Montenegro and Albania are making progress, others remain trapped by bilateral identity disputes, most notably North Macedonia, where trust has eroded following sacrifices made for the Prespa Agreement. As the EU’s decision-making remains slow, the experts warn that Russia and China are actively filling the gap through narrative warfare and strategic infrastructure loans. Ultimately, they conclude that the EU must adopt a more urgent and strategic approach to securing its immediate neighbourhood before its influence is permanently diminished.

You can watch a video recording of this conversation here.

You can read a transcript here.