http://www.friendsofeurope.org http://www.eu4journalists.eu Reverberations from the Irish "no" did not dampen enthusiasm for recent positive developments in the Balkans region. This was one of the outcomes of Friends of Europe's ninth annual Balkans summit, "A Balkans Balance Sheet", held in Brussels on 24 June. The summit brought together over 300 politicians, policymakers and pundits, as well as representatives from international organisations, civil society and the private sector. Participants discussed the health of the EU's Balkan enlargement strategy and whether the EU is exerting a calming influence on Balkan politics. During the afternoon an economic roundtable debated the strength of the entrepreneurial culture in the region and the pace of economic development. The roundtable pooled the expertise of over 40 experts from across the EU and the Balkans region, including Martin Bartenstein, Austria's Economy Minister, Milo Djukanovic, Montenegro's Prime Minister, and Hido...