Week in Review: Good Vibrations and Political Earthquakes

European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos and Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milojko Spajic, at a press conference in Brussels, January 2026. Brussels in May has a spring in its step, and not just because of the warmer weather. On May 9, the capital of the EU celebrates Europe Day and the great project that has brought peace and more prosperity to the continent.

May also brought good vibrations to backers of EU enlargement, with the EU agreeing to begin drafting an accession treaty with Montenegro. In her letter from Brussels, Gjeraqina Tuhina takes a look at Montenegro’s accession prospects and at the EU’s efforts to reform itself from within. Read more: Letter from Brussels: May is the Month for Montenegro (May 13, 2026) The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt gives a press conference in Sarajevo, July 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/FEHIM DEMIR A moderate political earthquake struck the region when Christian Schmidt recently announced plans to resign as the international community’s High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, pending the appointment of a successor. For journalists, experts, as well as the public, one key question was what had triggered the decision. Beyond this, the announcement also reignited old debates on the future of the Office of the High Representative, OHR. In his opinion piece for Balkan Insight, Srecko Latal looks at what the news means for Bosnia, and for the future of the OHR. Read more: As Schmidt Abandons Bosnia’s ‘Mission Impossible’ – What Now? (May 12, 2026) Kosovo’s then President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Pristina, February 2024. Kosovo is gearing up for yet another parliamentary election on June 6. It is far from clear that the outcome will resolve the persistent political stalemate. Yet some significant political realignments are afoot.

Key points

• May also brought good vibrations to backers of EU enlargement, with the EU agreeing to begin drafting an accession treaty with Montenegro.
• In her letter from Brussels, Gjeraqina Tuhina takes a look at Montenegro’s accession prospects and at the EU’s efforts to reform itself from within.
• Read more: Letter from Brussels: May is the Month for Montenegro (May 13, 2026) The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt gives a press conference in Sarajevo, July 2023.
• Photo: EPA-EFE/FEHIM DEMIR A moderate political earthquake struck the region when Christian Schmidt recently announced plans to resign as the international community’s High Representative to Bosnia…
• For journalists, experts, as well as the public, one key question was what had triggered the decision.