Balkan Developments

Over 2/3 of Romanians are worried that the country can be drawn into war

About 68% of Romanians are worried about the possibility of their country being drawn into war in the coming years, according to a survey by the INSCOP Research, published on March 19, Adevarul reports. The survey was conducted in two phases: in February 23-27 and March 3-13 among 1,100 people – before and after the attacks against Iran. According to the survey in March, 36.9% are very worried (compared to 31% in February), and 31.1% are a bit worried (33.1% - February).

In the event of an attack, 38.3% of respondents believe that the main defence will come from NATO by activating Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, 19.6% rely on the Romanian army, and 27.6% - on bilateral partnerships with countries such as France, Germany or the United Kingdom. About 75.6% of respondents support higher defence spending and 69.2% consider the production of military equipment in the country to be very important.

Cyprus raises question about future of British bases on the island

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides has called for an "open and frank conversation" with the UK about the future of British military bases on the island after the end of the Middle East crisis, BTA reported. The bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia, which remain sovereign British territory under Cyprus' 1960 independence treaty, are used for military operations in the Middle East, including flights against threats from Iranian drones. The issue has become particularly relevant after a drone strike on Akrotiri earlier this month, which heightened concerns that the bases could pose a security risk to the country. The incident also sparked protests. London has not yet commented on possible talks. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said military cooperation between the two countries "has never been better."

The war in the Middle East has affected tourism in Turkey

Israeli and US strikes against Iran are creating uncertainty in the region and are already affecting tourism in Turkey - some reservations are being cancelled or postponed for the summer, representatives of the Turkish tourism sector say, BTA has reported. According to the President of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association, Kaan Kavaloglu, there is a decline in reservations from key markets such as Germany and the UK and some hotels are postponing the start of the season.

The hardest hit are the Turkish cities near the border with Iran - Van, Ağrı and Kars, where thousands of reservations have been cancelled. Iran is an important tourist market for Turkey with over 3 million visitors per year, ranking after Russia, Germany, the UK and Bulgaria. However, domestic tourism remains stable. For Ramazan Bayramı, hotels in resorts such as Antalya and Alanya report about 80% occupancy.

About forty Balkan lynx are found in North Macedonia

Two Balkan lynx were photographed with camera traps in the Šar Mountain National Park in North Macedonia. This brings the number of animals of the rare subspecies registered in the area to five, Sloboden Pecat writes. According to experts, the total population in the mountains of North Macedonia is about 40 animals.

The new footage is a positive sign for the recovery of the subspecies, but conservationists warn that its survival remains uncertain. The main risk is related to the small population, which leads to inbreeding. Additional threats are poaching and road accidents, especially on regional roads without protective fences.

Experts recommend the creation of safe corridors between mountain habitats and the import of animals from Romania in order to increase genetic diversity.

The happiest people in the Balkans are in Kosovo

Kosovo is the happiest country in the Balkans, according to Gallup's World Happiness Report 2026. The country ranks 16th in the world, ahead of all countries in the region. It is followed by Slovenia (18), Serbia (30) and Romania (34) among the Balkan countries. In the middle of the ranking are Bosnia and Herzegovina (47), Montenegro (60) and Cyprus (62), followed by Croatia (70). North Macedonia (82), Bulgaria (84), Greece (85) and Albania (86) are behind, while Turkey is 94th. Finland tops the list for the ninth consecutive year. The ranking is based on people's assessments of their quality of life, with the analysis taking into account factors such as income, social support, health, freedom of choice, generosity and perception of corruption.

Compiled by Miglena Ivanova