Little love lost
Pope Francis with Croatian Catholics in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, April 2016. Photo: EPA/MAURIZIO BRAMBATTI.
Catholics are mourning the passing of Pope Francis, whose embrace of the world’s poor and disenfranchised gained him the respect of many beyond the Church.
Yet, in one part of the Catholic world, Croatia, feelings about Pope Francis and his passing were much more muted. Our analysis takes a closer look at why the Croatian clergy’s relationship with the late Pope was so uneasy.
Read more: Pope Francis’s Message Found Little Echo in Croatia’s Conservative Church (April 23, 2025)
An Easter conundrum
Romanian Orthodox priests at a Palm Sunday procession heading to the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, April 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE/ROBERT GHEMENT
This year, Eastern and Western Christendom celebrated Easter on the same day, a rare case of the date coinciding.
The overlap has led to fresh talk of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches agreeing on a permanent common date to celebrate the Resurrection. Our analysis takes a look at how the date is normally determined – and whether a common date could be established.
Read more: Rare Joint Easter Prompts Divided Churches to Mull Common Date (April 21, 2025)
A bicycle marathon
Serbian students pose for a group photo at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Photo: EPA-EFE/RONALD WITTEK.
Perplexed by the EU’s seeming indifference to their months-long protest movement, students from Serbia opted to take their cause to the EU’s doorstep. Around 80 of them set out on what turned into a 13-day bike ride from Novi Sad, the scene of the tragedy in November 2024 that sparked their protests, to Strasbourg.
There, they met members of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. We report on their journey and what they hoped to achieve – with pictures from Strasbourg, the last stop on their long journey.
Read more: Serbian Students Bring Protest Cause to Strasbourg After Bicycle Marathon (April 16, 2025)
Protesting pianist
Davide Martello plays for Serbian students who went on a protest bicycle ride to Strasbourg. Photo courtesy of Davide Martello.
David Martello has become famous the world over for playing his piano at democracy protests – which also got him expelled from several countries, Serbia being the latest.
As Serbian students cycled to Strasbourg, in an attempt to make themselves heard by European institutions, Martello welcomed them on their arrival with his piano. In an interview with Balkan Insight, he talks about his perception of Serbia’s protest movement.
Read more: Davide Martello: Travelling Protest Pianist Expelled from Serbia (April 22, 2025)
Problematic candidates
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama at his first electoral rally of the campaign in Skanderbeg Square in Tirana. Photo: LSA.
Cleaning up politics and tackling corruption is a perpetual theme in Balkan politics. The same applies to Albania, where voters are due to go to the polls in parliamentary elections on May 11.
But the actions of its politicians tell a different story. Our investigation reveals that the main ruling and opposition parties are both fielding candidates who either face criminal investigation or have actually been charged.
Read more: Challenging Justice: Albanian Parties Field Candidates Facing Corruption Charges (April 24, 2025)
Pragmatic rethink
Romanian Army Special Forces paratroopers at a military parade marking Romania’s Great Union Day in Bucharest, December 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/ROBERT GHEMENT.
As Romania heads towards a presidential election on May 4, with a second round likely to take place two weeks later, security and foreign policy are distinctly under-represented in political debates. However, Romania’s next head of state, whoever that is, will have a significant role to play in shaping both fields under the country’s semi-presidential system.
In her opinion piece for Balkan Insight, Antonia-Laura Pup makes the case for why Romania needs to think harder about diversifying its security partnerships beyond Brussels and Washington.
Read more: Romania’s Next President Must Rethink Reliance on the US and EU (April 22, 2025)