The European Union has warned Western Balkan countries they risk losing more than €700mn in growth package funding unless stalled reforms are accelerated.
What could have been a routine procedural issue has turned into a prolonged institutional standoff, with a 34-day countdown from March 25 to elect a new president.
Ukraine has dominated recent discussions, but a new DGAP paper argues Montenegro and Albania are closest to membership and should receive greater attention.
Development bank says economic fallout is already spreading, through higher energy and fertiliser costs, damage to tourism and higher debt-servicing costs.
Tensions persist along Kosovo and Serbia's shared border, where security incidents and military activity continue to to raise concerns about regional stability.