Policy Analyses and Policy Studies

In the first half of 2026, Serbia lingered around 60% of alignment rate with the foreign policy declarations and measures of the EU. Despite the nominal progress in 2025, when Serbia has reached 67 percent, the alignment rate again fell. Serbia’s alignment percentage remains the lowest among the EU candidates with the active processes of negotiations, in other words, the only EU candidate countries with lower percentages are Türkiye and Georgia.

During the first half of 2026, the EU adopted the 20th package of sanctions against Russia on April 23, expanding the scope of sanctions by targeting energy revenues, military-industrial complex, trade and financial services. Consequently, the new package increased the number
of foreign policy statements (and accompanying restrictive measures) directed against the Russian Federation in connection with its war in Ukraine and threats to the territory of the EU and partner states.

Nonetheless, as stated in ISAC’s reports on alignment in previous years, percentages remain primarily a descriptive indicator that reflects general trends but cannot be considered a definitive measure of progress or decline. More critical are the specific issues on which candidate and partner countries fail to align.

Read our semi annual report.

The publication “Everyday Extremism in Serbia: Between Democratic Protest and Political Polarization” analyzes how polarization, distrust in institutions, and “us versus them” dynamics are shaped within everyday political discourse. Based on qualitative research, the study shows that extremism is not necessarily a marginal phenomenon, but a process that develops through everyday interactions and citizens’ perceptions. Particular attention is given to the role of protests, youth political engagement, and attitudes toward institutions.

In 2023, the ISAC Fund joined the Horizon Europe research project OppAttune as a partner organization. The project tracks the evolution of extremist ideologies, develops innovative prevention models, and provides evidence-based recommendations to strengthen democratic engagement and trust in institutions.

Policy study “Western Balkans: New Alliances, Old Suspicions”, written by ISAC Fund’s Marko Savkovic is now available for download.

The study covers four key processes: the rise of defiance expenditures across the Western Balkans; the emergence of new regional initiatives and bilateral arrangements, such as the Tirana Declaration and the Serbia–Hungary defense cooperation agreement; the persistent lack of trust among regional actors; and the resulting security dilemma.

Particular attention is devoted to arms procurement, NATO’s requirements (including the proposed 5% GDP defense spending target by 2035) and EU initiatives (‘Defense Readiness’ and SAFE), as well as the long‑standing issue of limited transparency.

Three scenarios for the region are elaborated – ‘integration’, ‘fragmentation’, and ‘controlled competition’ – together with policy recommendations.

This publication was prepared within the framework of the project “Emerging Security Alliances in the Western Balkans: Impact on Regional Security and Stability” implemented by the ISAC Fund, with the support of the Embassy of Canada to Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. The content of this article is the sole responsibility of the ISAC Fund and can in no way be considered to reflect the views of the Embassy of Canada to Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro.

In front of you is the analysis of Serbia’s alignment with the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), prepared by the ISAC Fund for the year 2025. The document provides an overview of key trends, decisions, and challenges in the alignment process, as well as an assessment of the progress achieved so far in this area.

We present the semi-annual Analysis of Serbia’s Alignment with the European Union’s Foreign Policy Declarations and Measures for the period from January 1 to June 30, 2025. This analysis was prepared and published by the ISAC Fund and provides a detailed insight into the degree of Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), within the framework of Chapter 31 of the EU accession negotiation process.

In addition to Serbia, the analysis includes a comparative overview of the alignment of other candidate and potential candidate countries, offering a broader regional perspective and enabling insights into the dynamics of European integration in Southeast Europe.

In a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics, Serbia’s foreign policy orientation remains a critical factor in shaping its future. This newly released study delves into the potential consequences of a significant pivot away from the pro-European course—whether initiated by the current government or a future administration.

Using scenario-building methodology, the research explores a range of plausible outcomes and risks associated with such a strategic shift. The study seeks to answer key questions:

• What political, economic, and social realities would Serbian citizens, businesses, and institutions face in a post-European integration context?
• How would Serbia’s international partnerships, particularly with EU member states, be affected?
• What ripple effects might this shift have across the Western Balkans region?

To ensure a comprehensive and multidimensional perspective, the research team conducted in-depth interviews with over twenty prominent figures from the fields of politics, business, culture, and the arts. Their insights helped shape a nuanced understanding of the potential trajectories and implications of Serbia’s foreign policy reorientation.

The findings presented in this study offer valuable foresight for policymakers, analysts, and stakeholders invested in Serbia’s strategic direction and regional stability.

📘 The full study and scenario analyses are available below.

The International and Security Affairs Centre (ISAC) is pleased to present its latest annual report:
“Analysis of Serbia’s Alignment with the EU’s Foreign Policy Declarations and Measures in 2024.”

This comprehensive analysis offers a detailed examination of Serbia’s foreign policy behavior over the course of January to December 2024, focusing on the extent to which Serbia aligned itself with the European Union’s official positions, declarations, and restrictive measures.

Key Features of the Report:

• A month-by-month breakdown of Serbia’s alignment with EU foreign policy statements and actions
• Identification of trends, shifts, and patterns in Serbia’s foreign policy stance
• A comparative overview of alignment levels among other countries in the EU accession process and neighboring states
• Insights into the political and diplomatic implications of Serbia’s alignment record for its EU integration prospects

This analysis serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, diplomats, researchers, and anyone interested in Serbia’s evolving relationship with the European Union and its positioning on key international issues.

📘 The full report is available below.

ISAC presents an Analysis of Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures for period from 1^st January to 30^th June 2024. The Analysis provides an explanation of Serbia’s foreign policy within Chapter 31, as well as the comparative overview of other state’s alignment during this period.

ISAC presents an Analysis of Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures in 2023. The Analysis contains a detailed examination of Serbia’s alignment during the period January-December 2023, as well as the comparative overview of other state’s alignment during the same period.

ISAC presents an Analysis of Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures for period from 1^st January to 30^th June 2023. The Analysis provides an explanation of Serbia’s foreign policy within Chapter 31, as well as the comparative overview of other state’s alignment during this period.

ISAC presents an Analysis of Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures in 2022. The Analysis contains a detailed examination of Serbia’s alignment during the period January-December 2022, as well as the comparative overview of other state’s alignment during the same period.

ISAC presents an Analysis of Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures for period  from  January to July 2022. The Analysis provides an explanation of Serbia’s foreign policy within Chapter 31, as well as the comparative overview of other state’s alignment during this period.

Regional cybersecurity stakeholders do not regard the Western Balkans as primary target of any particular threat actor. Instead, attacks and incidents are perceived as collateral damage of attacks aimed at other primary targets. Additionally, stakeholders have not identified any region-specific malicious actors, or cybersecurity developments however, this does not discount the possibility of a more regional dimension to cyber threats emerging in the near future, given the pace of digitalisation and geopolitical developments.

These are some of the main findings of the Cybersecurity Ecosystem Report, which maps cyber threats in the Western Balkans, identifying key risks, threats, incident and attack types, and, where possible, threat actors. Commissioned by the UK Government, the Report has been prepared jointly by PwC, focusing on the global and regional threat landscape, and the ISAC Fund, providing the geopolitical context for each of the Western Balkan economies (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia).

The Report shows that the cybersecurity threats faced by Western Balkan economies generally mirror global threats. Ongoing increases in digital activity, accelerated by the global pandemic, have led to greater numbers of incident reports received by national authorities. Increasingly, smaller actors such as small and medium enterprises, media actors and civil society organisations are also encountering cyber threats. Attacks are becoming more sophisticated, with better tailoring of malicious content to local languages and context. Currently, cyber-crime is seen as the main threat, with malware, phishing, ransomware and, to an extent, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) as the most common attack types.

The Report also provides recommendations on the actions to be taken with a view to fostering greater cyber resilience in the Western Balkans.

ISAC presents an Analysis of Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures in 2021. The Analysis contains a detailed examination of Serbia’s alignment during the period January-December 2021, as well as the comparative overview of other state’s alignment during the same period.

ISAC is pleased to announce the publication of the Vulnerability Index – Serbia, which is part of the The GLOBSEC Vulnerability Index, a joint project with GLOBSEC and our partners in the Western Balkans and Central Europe. ISAC participated in extensive research on state resilience and society vulnerability to malign foreign influences from autocratic regimes.

Vulnerability Index measures vulnerability towards foreign influence in eight countries: Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia and Serbia on a 0-100 scale, where 0 is the most resilient and 100 the most vulnerable.

It assesses five key dimensions: public attitudes, political landscape, public administration, information landscape, and civic and academic space, with a particular focus directed towards the Kremlin’s and Beijing’s activities.

It is our great pleasure to present you another semi-annual report on Serbia’s harmonization with the EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures. The report contains a detailed analysis of Serbia’s alignment during the period January-June 2021, as well as a tabular presentation of the harmonization of other third countries in the same period.

ISAC presents an Analysis of Serbia’s alignment with the EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures in 2020. This is the seventh annual report that offers a brief overview of the EU’s foreign policy declarations during 2020 and tabulation of Serbia’s compliance with each of them. The analysis gives an explanation of such foreign policy of Serbia within Chapter 31, as well as the comparative overview of other state’s alignment during 2020.

We are proud to present you the Analysis Seven Years of Serbia’s Alignment with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU!

This study thoroughly monitors Serbia’s harmonization with the EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures during the last seven years, i.e from the moment the negotiation process was initiated. Reference is made to the topics of declarations that Serbia failed to align with, giving detailed analyses of their contents and possible reasons behind this approach.

The analysis brings together a list of declarations published on the official internet portal of the Council of the European Union in the period from January 1, 2014 to November 30, 2020.

ISAC Fund participated together with partners from nine countries from Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans in the preparation of a GLOBSEC study that deals with the impact of the pandemic on the main socio-political narratives.

We present you a new report “GLOBSEC Trends 2020” which covers the results of opinion polls from these countries.

Working Group of the National Convention on the European Union for Chapter 35 has recently prepared two analysis on the issues relevant to the process of normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and Chapter 35, as part of its research activities.

Analysis are available in Serbian, English and Albanian language (please find below the links):

1. “Serbian cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo: from Ahtisaari’s special zones to the final status”, written by Igor Novaković, PhD (ISAC Fund) and Stefan Surlić (Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of the Balkans, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade).

Serbian
English
Albanian

2. “Position and role of religious communities and churches in the reconciliation and normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina”. The authors            are Aleksandra Popovic (Konrad Adenauer Foundation) and Jelena Jorgacevic Kisic (Forum on Religion, Media and Culture of Remembrance).

Serbian
English
Albanian

Analysis were developed within the project “National Convention on the European Union 2019/2020, Working Group for Chapter 35″ funded by the Open Society Foundation, Serbia and implemented by InTER.

ISAC presents its sixth yearly analysis of Serbia’s compliance with EU foreign policy declarations and measures in 2019. This analysis offers a brief overview of all EU Foreign Policy Declarations during 2019 and tabulation of Serbia’s alignment with them. The analysis offers a substantive explanation of such foreign policy of Serbia within Chapter 31, as well as the comparative overview of other state’s alignment during 2019.

At the begging of this decade Turkish foreign policy was grounded in the idea of “zero problems with neighbours”, a proactive policy that should have renewed Turkey’s position at the centre of the wider region. In the Balkans, this proactiveness has largely dissipated at the beginning of the century and is now barely visible. Bearing in mind that Turkey is one of the most important countries for the region, this paper tries to provide a summary of relevant issues regarding Turkey’s position in the Western Balkans.

As part of one of its main programs that deals with Chapter 31 (Common Foreign Security and Defence Policy) ISAC traditionally has been publishing an analysis of Serbia’s alignment with EU’s foreign policy declarations and measures. Here you can find the latest semi-annual report for period from January to July 2019.

ISAC presents its fifth yearly analysis of Serbia’s compliance with EU foreign policy declarations and measures in 2018. This analysis offers a brief overview of all EU Foreign Policy Declarations during 2018, tabulation of Serbia’s alignment with them. The analysis contains a short explanation of such foreign policy within Chapter 31, as well as the analysis of other state’s alignment in the first part of 2018.

ISAC is happy to present the publication “Collection of analyzes and policy papers of members of the ISAC’s alumni network” that contains eight policy papers made by the ISAC alumni on the following topics:

• Kosovo and visa liberalization
• Republic of Serbia and Chamber of Secrets: Necessity of technological and legislative preparation in Serbia for harmonization with European Union standards for data protection
• Kosovo referendum – Do we want to join the EU?
• Ten years later – What (does) bring a new National Security Strategy?
• Personal data protection on social networks
• European Union and cyber security
• Amendments to the Law on Genetically Modified Products in the context of Serbia’s accession to the World Trade Organization and harmonization with European legislation
• Establishment of the National Network for Raising Consciousness about Radicalization in the Republic of Serbia

Since its foundation, an important part of ISAC’s activities has been directed towards education and empowerment of current and future young leaders in building their academic and professional careers. The “Young Leaders” program is one of the activities through which we provide the opportunity for young people to develop not only critical thinking, but also to acquire practical skills in writing analysis and policy papers. ISAC provided professional guidance, while the participants offered fresh and creative ideas for solving some of the current social and political challenges. All participants independently decided on a specific issue that would be dealt with within the subject, the angle of access and the number of final recommendations.

Available only in Serbian language.

Since we live in the information age and internet access equals access to information, the boundaries between the “online” and “offline” world have blurred and this is especially the case for young people. “From Online Battlefield to Loss of Trust?” sheds further light on young people’s consumption of information and disinformation. The report is based on research conducted among 18-24-year-old in eight European countries. Focus groups were made in Central and South-Eastern Europe, and the report seeks to understand the complexity of life and thinking of today’s youth and its impact on the political and social reality of the aforementioned societies. ISAC was pleased to contribute with field research and focus groups in Serbia for this analysis.

Membership in the World Trade Organization is a precondition for the successful closing of Serbia’s pre-accession negotiations in Chapter 30 (External Relations) with the European Union. Although this Chapter does not explicitly deal with genetically modified organisms, international trade rules do not allow general traffic barriers, such as those that Serbia introduced in 2009 with the Law on Genetically Modified Organisms.

Therefore, our intention with this publication is to present the possibilities offered by international standards for Serbia to fulfill the conditions of accession with both the World Trade Organization and the European Union, while at the same time to respond to the dilemmas that the citizens of our country have. These international standards allow Serbia to establish a system that would abolish the general ban on trade in these products. At the same time it would also establish, in a politically wise manner, an adequate restrictive system that would offer the maximum limit of trade with products containing genetically modified organisms at all levels and enable Serbia to ban the commercial cultivation of genetically modified crops in the same way as the EU member states do.

Only Serbian version available

ISAC is pleased to present the semi-annual report of Serbia’s alignment with the EU foreign policy declarations for the period from January to July 2018. The report consists of a brief analysis and tabulation of Serbia’s alignment with the EU foreign policy declarations and measures.

ISAC presents its fourth yearly analysis of Serbia’s compliance with EU foreign policy declarations and measures in 2017. This analysis offers a brief overview of all EU Foreign Policy Declarations and explains Serbia’s foreign policy in terms of Chapter 31 and Serbia’s alignment with the CFSP.

The main goal of this in depth research analysis is to contribute to the creation of legislative framework in order for Serbia to send its civilian experts in peace support operations.  This document offers a comparative legal analyses of the legal frameworks for sending civilians in peace support operations of six European countries: Estonia, Croatia, Slovenia,Czech Republic, Lithuania and Germany. It also provides a short overview and clarification of what the civilian missions are and how they have evolved over time.

ISAC presents an analysis dedicated to the CSDP and the latest developments in that field. An analysis titled “From the Global Strategy for EU Foreign and Security Policy to the CSDP with the Capital  O” provides a brief overview of the CSDP starting with the meeting of European Council held in December 2013 when the process of revision of the EU’s foreign policy and security framework officially commenced until November 2017 when Permanent Structural Cooperation was formally launched.

As part of its activities related to monitoring Serbia’s progress under Chapter 31,  ISAC announces a semi-annual review of Serbia’s alignment with the EU foreign policy declarations. The report covers the period from January to July 2017 and consists of a brief analysis and tabulation of Serbia’s alignment with the EU foreign policy declarations.

The main topic of this analysis is the relationship between the World Trade Organization and the European Union. A special emphasis is put on the nature of international trade today and the reasons why the WTO is necessary for its regulation. It also points out why the EU insists that all its members be simultaneously members of the WTO.

The main goal of this analysis is to point out the importance of the World Trade Organization for smaller countries as well as to present the basic motives for which any country, including Serbia, should strive for membership in this organization.

ISAC Fund presents its third yearly analysis of Serbia’s compliance with EU foreign policy declarations and measures in 2016. As in previous years, this analysis offers critical review as well as recommendations for the Government of Republic of Serbia and the Negotiating team.

This compilation of policy papers on security policy is mainly focused on aspects of foreign and security policy and particularly sought to address security sector reform, civilian and democratic oversight on the security sector and advancement in Euro-Atlantic integrations.

ISAC Fund presents its second annual analysis of Serbia’s alignment with declarations, positions and measures adopted under the framework of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. The analysis provides a critical review of the process of alignment, while providing a number of recommendations for the Government of Serbia and its negotiating team.

The study is the end result of a research project supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Serbia. The aim of the research and the study itself was examining all relevant aspects of the bilateral relations between Serbia and Romania concerning the position and status of the Vlach minority in Serbia. It also aims to promote and further deepen the Serbian-Romanian relations and partnership on Serbia’s path towards the European Union.

The Working Group on Chapters 30 and 31 of the National Convention, coordinated by ISAC Fund, presents its first annual analysis of Serbia’s alignment with declarations, positions and measures adopted under the framework of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. The analysis provides a critical review of the process of alignment, while providing a number of recommendations for the Government of Serbia and its negotiating team. The analysis is only available in Serbian.

The compendium consists of five policy papers that are the result of the project “Young Leaders Training”. Participants of the program worked in groups on the proposals and they chose specific questions within the topics, angle of approach and the number and content of the recommendations.

The purpose of this study is precisely to provide the first information about the content of negotiations in the Chapter 30, and provide the basis for the beginning of the public debate on these issues. The main challenges and dilemmas that await us as a country during the negotiations are presented in a concise manner. The publication is also the first product of the partnership and collaboration of the International and Security Affairs Centre (ISAC) and the European Policy Centre (CEP), regarding the support and following of the negotiations in the Chapter 30 in the subsequent period

The EU integration process is often burdened with complicated bilateral and cross-border issues between candidates and neighbouring EU member states. These issues could endanger the efficiency of the process of negotiations, thus stall the progress and contribute to the prolonged instability in the region. During 2013, in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Belgrade, the research team of the ISAC Fund completed a field research in Bosilegrad and Dimitrovgrad, two municipalities in South Eastern Serbia predominantly populated by the ethnic Bulgarians, as well as in Belgrade and Sofia. Through series of interviews with various stakeholders and in-house research results, ISAC has formulated conclusions and policy recommendations for all of the involved stakeholders.

The version in Bulgarian language is available here.

With the support of the European Fund for the Balkans, through the Think and Link programme, ISAC Fund has undertaken an public opinion poll about the foreign policy of the Republic of Serbia, along with the publishing of its policy study From Four Pillars of Foreign Policy to European Integration: Is There a Will for Strategically Orienting Serbia’s Foreign Policy?. The goal of this research was to find out to which extent the results of the poll correspond with the findings of the above mentioned policy study, but also to find out how citizens perceive foreign policy domain.

Excerpt from the review of Prof. Dr. Predrag Simic:
Compendium “Neutrality in the XXI century – Lessons for Serbia” is the most ambitious attempt so far in Serbia to comprehensively and in-depth address the issue of neutrality in contemporary international relations, the question which is, in Serbia as well as in many other countries, a subject to scientific and political debates and conflicting interpretations. What characterized this project is a good selection of topics, a fine structure of the compendium and the expertise of authors. All of those contributed so that the readers of the book gets familiar with experiences and contemporary views of the old and the new neutral countries, but also with the main issues raised by the debates about neutrality which are now taking place and also the importance, or rather, unimportance, of neutrality in contemporary circumstances. Thus, the compilers of this compendium offered answers to many questions which are also relevant for Serbia. It can therefore be concluded that this compendium will be able to offer to the Serbian scientific and political public the answers to many questions that were the subject of a broad debate about its political and strategic decisions in the recent years.

There are numerous discussions and publications regarding Serbian-Hungarian relations, however these are often limited to common history and culture. Present issues, challenges and opportunities often remain out of the focus of the public and the elite in the two countries. Having this in mind, the International and Security Affairs Centre (ISAC fund) and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Serbia, decided to concentrate on current topics such as bilateral relations, European integration, economy, trade, cross border cooperation, as well as the issue of national minorities, and to provide a fresh look on Serbian-Hungarian relations. The result is the newest ISAC’s policy study titled Serbia and Hungary – Political and Economic Perspectives. The study itself is based on ISAC Fund’s in-house research as well as on information gathered at the conference Serbian-Hungarian Relations – A Way Forward (Belgrade, June 18, 2012) organized by ISAC and Friedrich Ebert Foundation .

With the support of the European Fund for the Balkans, ISAC Fund’s research team presents its most recent policy study titled FROM FOUR PILLARS OF FOREIGN POLICY TO EUROPEAN INTEGRATION: IS THERE A WILL FOR STRATEGICALLY ORIENTING SERBIA’S FOREIGN POLICY?
This study examines the problems of Serbia’s foreign policy from 2008–2012, as evaluated on three points: its lack of long-term strategy; the malfunctioning of its system of decision-making and supervision; and the problems of its process of harmonization with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. The main purpose of this study is to offer a set of recommendations for reforming the approach to these questions, derived from an in-depth examination of the mentioned foreign policy aspects with the aim of bolstering the nation’s political standing abroad.

The topic of this analysis is the development and the dynamic change of the concept of neutral state in international relations since the XIX century. The text also presents the cases of few European states that are commonly accepted as being permanently neutral, or which strive to be accepted as such. Based on both theoretical standpoints and practical cases, the author has outlined the conditions that one state needs to meet in order to be internationally accepted as permanently neutral in post- Cold war era. Finally, the author compares these conclusions with the case of Serbia’s self-proclaimed status of neutrality.

This paper looks at why Serbia should receive Candidacy Status for European Union membership in light of the European Council decision taken in December 2011. It argues that Serbia can achieve much more vis-à-vis reforms and the adoption of the acquis if its European path is kept open and steadily encouraged, in this case via Candidacy Status. The paper also considers the effects of Kosovo in the overall European integration process of Serbia and how further integration can assist in finding an acceptable solution for both sides.

Although Turkey sees itself increasingly as an emerging power in international relations, it leads the policy that is in line with NATO stability priorities in the Western Balkans. Many countries in the region continue to accept the independent initiative of Turkey, which represents an opportunity for Turkey to use this influence as a subject for negotiations with the EU.
Based on the conclusions of the conference “New Turkish Foreign Policy in the Western Balkans” held in April 2011, and independent research, ISAC is publishing the policy paper “Turkey in the Western Balkans: The Means and Goals of the New Foreign Policy.” The document contains overall analysis of the new Turkish approach to the region, and a set of policy recommendations in relation to the same topic for Serbia and other Western Balkan states.

With the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (Tirana and Belgrade office), ISAC Fund has organised two workshops under the Chatham House Rule on the topic of Serbian-Albanian relations. Participants included experts, representatives of the civil society and political elites from both Serbia and Albania. The conclusions from these workshops, together with the results of ISAC’s in-house research.
The goal of this policy paper was to identify all the obstacles (not directly connected to the issue of Kosovo) that obstruct further improvement of relations between the two countries, and to give the practical policy proposals to the elites of both countries on how to remove or, at least, reduce their influence.