Protecting the Balkan lynx: a European responsibility
An event at the EU Parliament on September 24 2025 in Brussels draws attention to the Balkan lynx. The protection of this rare cat is a benchmark for species conservation in the accession countries.
© Sonia Leibold
On 24 September, an event took place in the European Parliament at the invitation of two Member of Parliament, Sebastian Everding and Thomas Waitz, at which various stakeholders from governmental and non-governmental organisations, among others members of the Balkan Lynx Recovery Programme, came together to discuss how the Balkan lynx can be saved from extinction. During the event, it was emphasised that environmental commitments must not be neglected in the EU enlargement process – rather, the protection of the Balkan lynx is “an example of real progress in nature conservation in this region,” according to Everding of the Animal Protection Party.
The event pointed out the responsibility of the European Parliament to act as a kind of watchdog and ensure that biodiversity is not neglected during the enlargement process of the three Western Balkan states Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo – home of the last Balkan lynx. The event highlighted also the importance of large-scale protected areas such as Mavrovo National Park in North Macedonia and the effective cooperation between the stakeholders and the countriesfor the survival of the Balkan lynx.
“The survival of the Balkan lynx will be a yardstick for whether the EU's enlargement to include the Western Balkan states fulfils Europe's promises. It is a test of the credibility of us all,” said Member of Parliament Thomas Waitz of the Greens at the end of the event. "Let us use this symbol not only as a reminder of what we could lose, but as inspiration for what we can still protect if we act together.”