New Lines Institute Launches Western Balkans Center to Shape Euro-Atlantic Policy on the Region

Washington, D.C., June 3, 2025 — New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy has formally inaugurated its Western Balkans Center (WBC), a dedicated hub for rigorous, policy-oriented research and strategic engagement in Southeast Europe. Building upon New Lines’ earlier Western Balkans Observatory, the WBC provides timely analysis, convenes decision-makers, and develops actionable recommendations to secure the region’s full integration into the Euro-Atlantic community.  

“Revisionist powers exploit the Western Balkans’ unresolved territorial questions and institutional gaps. The Western Balkans Center is designed to detect these pressure points early and translate field-based evidence into crisis-preventive policy,” said Dr. Emina Muzaferija, Program Head of the Center. “Empirical rigor, not speculation, guides every recommendation we make.” 

The WBC’s mission is aligned with contemporary geopolitical realities

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has intensified the geopolitical tug-of-war in Southeast Europe, greatly elevating the region’s strategic importance. The WBC is responding by: 

Since our pilot phase in 2024, the WBC has delivered a stream of analysis for decision-makers who need timely, actionable insight. We deliver annual security assessments like Western Balkans 2024, precision policy primers like Dayton Plus, and thematic country studies, most recently Insights into Albania, alongside rapid-turn Regional Watch policy briefs. Findings move straight from the field to the policy arena through briefings, roundtables, and the annual Sarajevo Security Conference, ensuring our analysis hits desks while it can still shape outcomes. 

Researchers, policy makers, and media are invited to explore the Center’s resources at www.westernbalkanscenter.org.

For more information, reach out to Dr. Emina Muzaferija at emuzaferija@newlinesinstitute.org.