Balkan Think Tanks Convention is a gathering of think tanks focused 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. The event is led by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), a leading think tank in Türkiye, and supported by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB).
The first edition of the 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). Attended by 27 institutions from twelve countries, the general theme of the second edition was “The Renewed Strategic Importance of the Balkans.” 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.
With the collaboration of SETA, New Strategy Center (NSC), West University of Timișoara, and YTB, the fourth edition of the Balkan Think Tanks Convention was held on June 6, 2024, in Timișoara, Romania. One full day of an intensive program consisted of the five roundtable sessions below:
- The Balkans and Türkiye in a Transforming Global Geopolitics
- Main Challenges in Regional Security and Politics
- Assessing the EU Enlargement Process
- Regional and Global Security Dynamics: Turkish and Romanian Perspectives
- Furthering Cooperation in the Balkans
During these sessions, experts affiliated with 15 institutions from twelve countries discussed current political and security-related issues faced by the Balkans and Türkiye. The first three sessions each featured four interventions, followed by an open roundtable discussion. The last two sessions were attended by high-level officials from Türkiye and Romania as keynote discussants.
This report provides a general summary of the roundtable sessions, including the main points of discussion and policy recommendations. Since the Convention was held under the Chatham House rule, the names and affiliations of the speakers are not specified.
