In this new episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations, IWM Permanent Fellow Ivan Vejvoda welcomes Alida Vračić, co-founder and executive director of the Sarajevo-based think tank Populari.
Alida Vračić is a political scientist and lawyer. She co-founded and serves as executive director of Populari, a Sarajevo-based think tank specializing in post-conflict state-building, democratization, good governance, and migration in the Western Balkans.
The podcast discussion addresses global demographic megatrends—aging populations, fertility decline, and regional disparities—and examines how migration and depopulation are affecting the Western Balkans, Europe and the wider world. Vračić outlines the challenges of census deficiencies, labor migration from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Western Europe, and the socioeconomic impact of a shrinking workforce. The conversation then shifts to Europe’s geopolitical context, touching on US-China rivalry, the Russo-Ukrainian War, and Europe’s multilateral responses. Finally, marking the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement, Vračić assesses Bosnia and Herzegovina’s post-Dayton governance structure, the role of the Office of the High Representative, and prospects for EU integration as a means of consolidating stability and promoting domestic reform.
Alida Vračić was a 2019/20 Europe’s Futures Fellow.
Ivan Vejvoda is an IWM Permanent Fellow and Head of the Europe's Futures program, a joint initiative of the ERSTE Foundation and the IWM.
