The Levant Files

The European Union is experiencing a significant geopolitical shift, with the prospect of admitting new members by 2030 now a "realistic goal," according to the bloc's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. The urgency, officials concede, is driven by the need to project strength and stability in the face of shifting global dynamics, particularly following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This renewed momentum has injected life into a process that had long been considered moribund, transforming EU enlargement from a technical exercise into a strategic imperative. As reported by The Guardian, the European Commission recently published its annual report cards on ten aspiring nations, with the consensus being that "Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine and the geopolitical shifts make the case for enlargement very clear cut." Kallas emphasized that a larger EU is a "necessity if we want to be a stronger player on the world stage." Frontrunners a...

Podgorica is facing its most turbulent public debate in years, triggered by a violent incident linked to Turkish nationals — and raising difficult questions about the scale and consequences of Turkish migration and investment in Montenegro . On 25 October, in the Zabjelo district of the capital, several men from Turkey and Azerbaijan allegedly stabbed a young Montenegrin who had intervened to defend a group of girls. The attack provoked street protests, led to clashes with police, and resulted in businesses owned by Turks being vandalised in Podgorica and Herceg Novi .   While the suspects are now in custody, the incident has sparked a wave of scrutiny over the growing Turkish footprint in the country. “There are 13,500 Turkish citizens in Montenegro,” Interior Minister Filip Šaranović said, pushing back against wildly inflated speculations of 100,000 circulating online. Yet, the numbers have undeniably risen sharply since 2016 — the year of the failed coup attempt in Turkey. ...