When the World Bank published its spring Regular Economic Report on the Western Balkans in April, the mood was gloomy. The bank cut its 2026 growth forecast for the region’s six economies (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) from 3.1 per cent to 2.8 per cent, citing the conflict in the Middle East, persistent inflation and a generally uncertain outlook. The autumn edition, released in Vienna this week, puts the forecast back where it started. Growth is now expected to reach 3.1 per cent this year, up from 2.6 per cent in 2025, before picking up to 3.4 per cent in 2027 and holding there in 2028 [...]