Child Marriage as a Contemporary Form of Slavery

Increasing amounts of scholarship in the international law community are showing that an inextricable link exists between child marriage and contemporary slavery. In light of this, child marriage can no longer be treated lightly or simply discounted as being part of culture. Child marriage violates the human rights of the child and goes against one of the key non-derogable international law norms: the prohibition of slavery.

The Geopolitical, Economic, and Environmental Impacts of TurkStream

On January 1, 2021, at a televised event held near Novi Sad, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended the opening ceremony for the Serbian section of the BalkanStream natural-gas pipeline, part of a larger project known as TurkStream which delivers Russian gas to Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary.

US Sanctions on the ICC: A Symptomatic Approach Towards International Law

Trump’s sanctions on the International Criminal Court only stressed a tendency that has always characterised the US approach towards the international criminal jurisdiction. Will anything change under Biden’s presidency?

Navalny: Harbinger of Democracy or Flash in the Pan?

The arrest of Alexey Navalny upon his return to Russia has triggered widespread protests. For many, they represent the first step towards democratization. This article, though, argues that things are more complicated. The first problem is that Navalny is a much more controversial figure than he seems. In fact, his idea of democracy might be very different from the Western concept of democracy. The second problem is less idiosyncratic and more strategic. Namely, the Russia regime seems willing to lock up Navalny for quite some time. And this alone, could leave protestors without a leader and without purpose.

Russian Protest: Anti-Corruption, Pro-Navalny, and Violent

On January 23rd, protests across Russia demanded Alexei Navalny’s release from detainment, and called out the corruption unveiled in his latest investigation. The demonstrations grew quickly in size and in violence, instantly attracting international attention.

[Analysis] EU-China Agreement on Investment: Impact on the Western Balkans

The European Union and the Western Balkans share the same history and future. Therefore, the Chinese interest in the Balkans has long been perceived as an intrusion. Yet, on December 30, 2020, the European Union and China reached an historic Agreement on investment and trade. What does this rapprochement between the two rival suitors mean for the Western Balkans? For sure, the EU-China Agreement is controversial. But it may show a promising opening, by China, to a rules-based economic system. In Eastern Europe, this means that China could be brought to respect the EU 2030 agenda, especially for what concerns the green transition and digitalization.