The Balkan Think Tanks Convention is a gathering of think tanks focusing on political research. The convention aims to enhance dialogue and cooperation among think tanks in the Balkans and Türkiye, develop a regional perspective for understanding and addressing common challenges, and discuss innovative ideas for region-wide policy outcomes. It is led by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), a leading think tank in Türkiye, and financially supported by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB).
The first Balkan Think Tanks Convention took place in Ankara on June 10-12, 2015, with 30 think tanks and research institutions from twelve countries participating. The second edition was organized on November 3-4, 2016, in Pristina, Kosovo, in partnership with the Democracy for Development Institute (D4D). The event, titled “The Renewed Strategic Importance of the Balkans,” was attended by 27 institutions from twelve countries. The third edition, titled “Furthering Cooperation under Geopolitical Challenges,” took place in Ankara on September 7-9, 2022, bringing together 32 institutions from ten countries. In collaboration with the New Strategy Center (NSC) and the West University of Timișoara, the fourth edition was organized on June 6, 2024, in Timișoara, Romania, with the participation of 15 institutions from twelve countries.
The fifth edition of the Balkan Think Tanks Convention was held in Ankara on June 19-20, 2025. Organized under the title “The Balkans in a Changing World,” it brought together 35 experts affiliated with 31 institutions from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Türkiye. The program included six roundtable sessions that focused on several relevant themes for the Balkans today:
- Shifting Global Geopolitics and Their Implications for the Region
- Key Political Disputes and Fault Lines in the Balkans
- The EU and the Balkans
- Main Socio-Economic Challenges in the Region
- Addressing Security Threats and Increasing Resilience
- Mapping Disinformation: Methods, Evidence, and Policy Insights
Each session contained four interventions followed by an open roundtable discussion. During these sessions, experts identified actual and potential challenges to order, security, and peace in the Balkans, and offered their perspectives on how to respond to these challenges and strengthen stability and resilience in the region.
This report provides a general summary of the roundtable sessions, including the main points of discussion and policy recommendations. As the sessions were held under the Chatham House rule, the names and affiliations of the speakers are not specified.