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Ian Bancroft

@ianbancroft.bsky.social
874 followers 690 following 714 posts

Writer & former diplomat. Peacebuilding @pci_org. #Wine @autochthoinos. Wrote a novel 'Luka' (bit.ly/LukaNovel) & a north Kosovo book (bit.ly/NKosovo).

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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 11h
Young people are leaving #Bosnia-#Herzegovina at an alarming rate. @guydelauney.bsky.social explains why. Yesterday's elections won't change a single thing. Constitutional reform remains a distant prospect. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
theguardian.com
Can anything politicians say at Sunday’s election stop young people from leaving Bosnia?
They are the support base for non-nationalist parties but are voting with their feet and not on ballot papers
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
My latest for Vino Kultura Journal celebrates the underdogs of the #wine scene in #Serbia and lays out a few ideas for how their businesses can be better supported (available in Serbian). vinokulturajournal.rs/2026/09/u-sl...
vinokulturajournal.rs
U slavu autsajdera - Vinokultura Journal
„Kako od vinograda napraviti malo bogatstvo? Pa, počnite od velikog!” Ova stara šala je prilično istinita. Koliko god izgledalo drugačije, vinarstvo je često nemilosrdno prema kapitalu.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The things you find in your parent's garage. The ultimate cooking accessory.
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Reposted by Ian Bancroft
Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
It was a great pleasure and privilege to interview Ibrica Jusić over lunch in #Dubrovnik, #Croatia, for #AramcoWorld. A man with an indomitable spirit. Learn more about his life and contribution to #Sevdalinka. Photos by Armin Durgut. www.aramcoworld.com/articles/202...
aramcoworld.com
Ibrica Jusić and Dubrovnik’s Sevdalinka Legacy
With his acoustic guitar and haunting vocals, Ibrica Jusić of Croatia has honed a distinct style of sevdalinka, a musical genre that is rooted in Slavic tradition and influenced by Islamic life.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
It was a great pleasure and privilege to interview Ibrica Jusić over lunch in #Dubrovnik, #Croatia, for #AramcoWorld. A man with an indomitable spirit. Learn more about his life and contribution to #Sevdalinka. Photos by Armin Durgut. www.aramcoworld.com/articles/202...
aramcoworld.com
Ibrica Jusić and Dubrovnik’s Sevdalinka Legacy
With his acoustic guitar and haunting vocals, Ibrica Jusić of Croatia has honed a distinct style of sevdalinka, a musical genre that is rooted in Slavic tradition and influenced by Islamic life.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
'Weekenders from #Zagreb head to the rolling green Samobor Hills for nature, vineyards, delicious local food and Habsburg-era architecture'. #Croatia. www.theguardian.com/travel/2026/...
theguardian.com
The other side of Croatia: ‘a landscape that could out-Tuscany Tuscany’
Weekenders from Zagreb head to the rolling green Samobor Hills for nature, vineyards, delicious local food and Habsburg-era architecture
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
This has to be one of the cushiest gigs imaginable - election observer on the Isle of Man. Not quite sure why ten are required! #IsleofMan. www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of...
manxradio.com
International observers due to arrive ahead of election
Looking to gain insight into the IoM electoral process
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
#Grillo is the Sicilian classic that might well be your new favourite white #wine. #Italy @Autochthoinos. autochthoinos.substack.com/p/all-up-in-...
autochthoinos.substack.com
All up in your Grillo
Grillo is the Sicilian classic that might well be your new favourite white wine.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
My latest for @balcanicaucaso.org about the dispute between #Slovenia and #Croatia over the exclusive right to use the term ‘#Teran’. www.balcanicaucaso.org/en/cp_articl...
balcanicaucaso.org
Slovenia versus Croatia, no winner in the dispute for Teran - OBCT
The ability to feature a prestigious appellation on the label can make a difference in wine sales. In the dispute between Slovenia and Croatia over the exclusive right to use the term ‘Teran’, the den...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
#Grillo is the Sicilian classic that might well be your new favourite white #wine. #Italy @Autochthoinos. autochthoinos.substack.com/p/all-up-in-...
autochthoinos.substack.com
All up in your Grillo
Grillo is the Sicilian classic that might well be your new favourite white wine.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
#Spain has designated 2026 as the Year of #Gaudí to mark a century since the death of the visionary Catalan architect who drew on Islamic design elements. www.aramcoworld.com/articles/202...
aramcoworld.com
100 Years After Gaudí: Islamic Art Shaped His Genius
Spain has designated 2026 as the official Year of Gaudí to mark a century since the death of the visionary Catalan architect who drew on Islamic design elements.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
It was September 3, 1939, an inauspicious date for #Europe and the world...Yet on the streets of #Belgrade five drivers took to the grid to compete in the only grand prix during the Second World War. #Serbia. www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/arti...
motorsportmagazine.com
WWII's grand prix: The forgotten 1939 Belgrade GP
With World War II in its first days, the one-off Belgrade GP started with a reduced grid – albeit still manned with exceptional talent. As Ian Bancroft tells, this was a knife-edge moment in history a...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
‘I do not have a choice,’ Hasan says when I ask how he remains motivated to work on such issues - ‘I cannot close my eyes and cover my ears; if I do, they might knock at my door again one day.’ #Bosnia-#Herzegovina. idbancroft.substack.com/p/if-i-close...
idbancroft.substack.com
‘If I close my eyes and cover my ears, they might knock at my door again’
This is an extract from my new book, ‘The Bosnian Straitjacket,’ which contains thoughts and reflections from Bosnia and Herzegovina thirty years on from the end of the war.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The European Commission is drawing up plans to break up the EU’s diplomatic service and fold parts of it into the bloc’s executive, in response to demands from France and Germany for a sweeping overhaul of Brussels’ foreign policy machinery. www.ft.com/content/1e55...
ft.com
EU accelerates plans to break up diplomatic service
France and Germany drive push for reform as pressure mounts on Brussels to find budget savings
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Following the death of Ratko #Mladić, read this powerful testimony from a #Srebrenica survivor, Hasan Nuhanović, available in my new book, 'The Bosnian Straitjacket.' The entry's title captures why the pursuit of justice must go on. #Bosnia-#Herzegovina. www.hodophile.com/travel/europ...
hodophile.com
‘If I close my eyes and cover my ears, they might knock at my door again’
Reflections from Bosnia-Herzegovina 30 years on from the end of the war. This is the testimony from a survivor of the Srebrenica gencoide.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Following the death of Ratko #Mladić, read this powerful testimony from a #Srebrenica survivor, Hasan Nuhanović, available in my new book, 'The Bosnian Straitjacket.' The entry's title captures why the pursuit of justice must go on. #Bosnia-#Herzegovina. www.hodophile.com/travel/europ...
hodophile.com
‘If I close my eyes and cover my ears, they might knock at my door again’
Reflections from Bosnia-Herzegovina 30 years on from the end of the war. This is the testimony from a survivor of the Srebrenica gencoide.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
#Valtellina in north #Italy is home to one of winemaking’s most spectacular landscapes. Its steep slopes have been tamed by 2,500 kilometres of dry stone walls that hold the terraced vineyards in place. autochthoinos.substack.com/p/steep-stakes
autochthoinos.substack.com
Steep stakes
Valtellina in north Italy is home to one of winemaking’s most spectacular landscapes.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The absurdity - "The EU deeply regrets yesterday’s decision of the #Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) to accept the resignations of Kosovo Serb judges that had already been withdrawn." #Serbia. www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/kosovo-...
eeas.europa.eu
Kosovo: Statement by the Spokesperson on yesterday’s decision by the Kosovo Judicial Council
Under its Constitution, Kosovo is a multi-ethnic society governed by the rule of law and its justice system must reflect Kosovo’s ethnic diversity. The EU has consistently called on Kosovo to enable t...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Ratko Mladic, the wartime commander of the Bosnian Serb Army who was serving a life sentence for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, has died aged 84, Serbian media have reported. #Bosnia-#Herzegovina. balkaninsight.com/2026/08/27/r...
balkaninsight.com
Ratko Mladic, Convicted Bosnian Serb War Criminal, Has Died: Reports
Ratko Mladic, the wartime commander of the Bosnian Serb Army who was serving a life sentence for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, has died aged 84, Serbian media have reported.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I've written about how #wine makers in #Serbia need to consider alternative forms of packaging (in Serbian, but use Google Translate). vinokulturajournal.rs/2026/08/pako...
vinokulturajournal.rs
Pakovanje budućnosti srpskog vina - Vinokultura Journal
U nedavnom tekstu za The Buyer o vinima iz Vojvodine, Justin Keay je, osvrćući se na Kovačevićev Cuvee Amber 2020, napisao: „Vino punog tela, pritom ne mislim samo na tešku bocu u kojoj dolazi (to je ...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
ICYMI, my piece for Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso #Transeuropa on the transformation of the #wine industry in #Yugoslavia, through nationalisation through to privatisation. www.balcanicaucaso.org/en/cp_articl...
balcanicaucaso.org
Yugoslav wine: a story of crisis and renovation - OBCT
With the end of Yugoslavia, the system that supported wine production in the federation's territories crumbled. After years of difficult transition, some producers are now attempting to rebuild the se...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
‘You may find it funny, but the thing about Bosanski Petrovac is that there are no particularly interesting stories,’ he contends with a straight face - a perspective from #Bosnia-#Herzegovina in my new book, 'The #Bosnian Straitjacket.' www.hodophile.com/travel/europ...
hodophile.com
The 'boring' peace of Bosanski Petrovac
Reflections from Bosnia-Herzegovina 30 years on from the end of the war. This is the story of Bosanski Petrovac.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
I've written about the state property issue in #Bosnia-#Herzegovina for Balkan Insight and whether the #Trump administration could try to force a deal. balkaninsight.com/2026/08/21/c...
balkaninsight.com
Could Trump’s Administration Force a Deal on Bosnia’s State Property?
The troublesome issue of who owns Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state and defence assets must be settled – or the country’s politicians could be forced into a solution that might benefit US commerce but ha...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Preservation efforts have protected the historical design and cultural legacy of the Ali Pasha-gifted #Imaret of #Kavala - one of most important #Ottoman landmarks in #Greece. www.aramcoworld.com/articles/202...
aramcoworld.com
Kavala’s Imaret: A Greek Ottoman Landmark Preserved
Preservation efforts have protected the historical design and cultural legacy of the Ali Pasha-gifted Imaret of Kavala—one of most important Ottoman landmarks in Greece.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
The #Conflict Sensitivity Community (CSC) Hub brings together a global network of organisations and individuals interested in sharing real world examples of conflict sensitivity. conflictsensitivityhub.net/2026/08/20/c...
conflictsensitivityhub.net
Conflict sensitivity hubs: what works, what doesn’t and what next?
Elizabeth Laruni In a world where conflicts are on the rise and becoming more complex, more humanitarian and development aid is taking place in contexts of increased fragility and insecurity. At th…
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
The troublesome issue of who owns #Bosnia and #Herzegovina’s state and defence assets must be settled – or the country’s politicians could be forced into a solution that might benefit #US commerce but harm the state. balkaninsight.com/2026/08/21/c...
balkaninsight.com
Could Trump’s Administration Force a Deal on Bosnia’s State Property?
The troublesome issue of who owns Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state and defence assets must be settled – or the country’s politicians could be forced into a solution that might benefit US commerce but ha...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
The troublesome issue of who owns #Bosnia and #Herzegovina’s state and defence assets must be settled – or the country’s politicians could be forced into a solution that might benefit #US commerce but harm the state. balkaninsight.com/2026/08/21/c...
balkaninsight.com
Could Trump’s Administration Force a Deal on Bosnia’s State Property?
The troublesome issue of who owns Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state and defence assets must be settled – or the country’s politicians could be forced into a solution that might benefit US commerce but ha...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
I've written about the state property issue in #Bosnia-#Herzegovina for Balkan Insight and whether the #Trump administration could try to force a deal. balkaninsight.com/2026/08/21/c...
balkaninsight.com
Could Trump’s Administration Force a Deal on Bosnia’s State Property?
The troublesome issue of who owns Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state and defence assets must be settled – or the country’s politicians could be forced into a solution that might benefit US commerce but ha...
011
Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
‘You may find it funny, but the thing about Bosanski Petrovac is that there are no particularly interesting stories,’ he contends with a straight face - a perspective from #Bosnia-#Herzegovina in my new book, 'The #Bosnian Straitjacket.' www.hodophile.com/travel/europ...
hodophile.com
The 'boring' peace of Bosanski Petrovac
Reflections from Bosnia-Herzegovina 30 years on from the end of the war. This is the story of Bosanski Petrovac.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Read my latest for @GlugMag about the precipitous life of the terraced alpine wineries in the Italian region of #Valtellina. #Italy #Wine. www.beer52.com/glug/article...
beer52.com
Steep stakes
The precipitous life of the terraced alpine wineries
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I've written about the transformation of #Yugoslavia's #wine industry pre- and post-privatisation, and the challenges encountered on the way. For @balcanicaucaso.org (also available in Italian). www.balcanicaucaso.org/en/cp_articl...
balcanicaucaso.org
Yugoslav wine: a story of crisis and renovation - OBCT
With the end of Yugoslavia, the system that supported wine production in the federation's territories crumbled. After years of difficult transition, some producers are now attempting to rebuild the se...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
My piece for Glug Magazine on the timeless partnership of #cricket and #wine, available to read online. www.beer52.com/glug/article...
beer52.com
Howzat?
Ian Bancroft, on the timeless partnership of cricket and wine
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Another 5-star review for my new book, 'The #Bosnian Straitjacket.' Pick-up a copy today to better understand #Bosnia-#Herzegovina 30 years on from the war. www.amazon.co.uk/Bosnian-Stra...
amazon.co.uk
The Bosnian Straitjacket : Bancroft, Ian: Amazon.co.uk: Books
Buy The Bosnian Straitjacket by Bancroft, Ian (ISBN: 9798249938499) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Operationalizing #conflict sensitivity in #Iraq means moving it out of documents and into routines...It requires...treating it as a discipline that guides how work is done, especially under pressure and uncertainty. conflictsensitivityhub.net/2026/07/31/o...
conflictsensitivityhub.net
Operationalizing Conflict Sensitivity in Iraq: From Intent to Practice
Linda Atta Rashid Conflict sensitivity in Iraq is rarely absent from plans or proposals. It appears in strategies, logframes, and donor narratives, often framed as a requirement that must be demons…
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Is there a better pairing than #cricket and #wine? Read my latest for Glug Magazine.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
The legacy of an #Ottoman-era project to connect #Damascus, #Syria, to the holy site of #Madinah in modern #SaudiArabia and beyond is breathing new life into today’s vision for rail in the region. www.aramcoworld.com/articles/202...
aramcoworld.com
Hijaz Railway: Ottoman Past, Regional Future
The legacy of an Ottoman-era project to connect Damascus, Syria, to the holy site of Madinah in modern Saudi Arabia and beyond is breathing new life into today’s vision for rail in the region.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
The age of technical progress and commodification was supposed to confine certain traditional crafts to the dustbin of history. #Bosnia-#Herzegovina, however, continues to defy the odds...Instead, the traditions of the past inspire the present. www.aramcoworld.com/articles/202...
aramcoworld.com
Bosnian Handicraft: Preserving Woodcarving Tradition
Bosnian handicraft shines in arts and crafts, from metalwork to woodcarving.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
An interesting look at an under-reported dimension of region co-operation - water resources. #Bosnia-#Herzegovina #Croatia #Montenegro. www.balcanicaucaso.org/en/cp_articl...
balcanicaucaso.org
From cooperation to war: Water in the karst heart of the former Yugoslavia - OBCT
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro are united not only by a common past, but also by a key natural resource, the most precious one. The first episode of a report on the joint management of...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Pick up the latest Glug Magazine for three of my articles from South Australia, including one on #cricket and #wine, two of my favourite subjects!
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
If you would like to review my new book, 'The #Bosnian Straitjacket,' drop me a DM and I'll send an electronic version. #Bosnia-#Herzegovina. www.amazon.co.uk/Bosnian-Stra...
amazon.co.uk
The Bosnian Straitjacket : Bancroft, Ian: Amazon.co.uk: Books
Buy The Bosnian Straitjacket by Bancroft, Ian (ISBN: 9798249938499) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Pick up the latest Glug Magazine for three of my articles from South Australia, including one on #cricket and #wine, two of my favourite subjects!
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
A day of mourning was declared in #Bosnia-#Herzegovina after five #Bosnian climbers confirmed dead on #Russia's Mount #Elbrus. An awful tragedy. www.reuters.com/world/europe...
reuters.com
Five Bosnian climbers confirmed dead on Russia's Mount Elbrus
Five Bosnian climbers died on Russia's ​Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, after ‌being caught in a violent storm, but the bodies of three people have not yet been evacuated due to bad weat...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
#France’s appellation system has been a cornerstone of its #wine industry’s global success for nearly a century, but is it still fit for purpose? My latest for Glug Magazine. www.beer52.com/glug/article...
beer52.com
Are appellations losing their allure?
France’s appellation system has been a cornerstone of its wine industry’s global success for nearly a century. Ian Bancroft asks if it’s still fit for purpose.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
#France’s appellation system has been a cornerstone of its #wine industry’s global success for nearly a century, but is it still fit for purpose? My latest for Glug Magazine. www.beer52.com/glug/article...
beer52.com
Are appellations losing their allure?
France’s appellation system has been a cornerstone of its wine industry’s global success for nearly a century. Ian Bancroft asks if it’s still fit for purpose.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
In another extract from my new book, 'The #Bosnian Straitjacket,' read about how the Center for Nonviolent Action is marking so-called ‘unmarked sites of suffering’ through the erection of temporary plaques. #Bosnia-#Herzegovina. www.hodophile.com/travel/europ...
hodophile.com
Marking the unmarked
Reflections from Bosnia-Herzegovina 30 years on from the end of the war.
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Beautiful #Boračko lake, only half an hour from #Konjic. #Bosnia-#Herzegovina
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
In the midst of unexploded #Russian rockets and buzzing drones, #Ukrainian winemakers are keeping vines and hope alive. #Ukraine #Wine. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
theguardian.com
To make wine is to believe in the future: the Ukrainians growing grapes on the frontline
In the midst of unexploded Russian rockets and buzzing drones, Ukrainian winemakers are keeping vines and hope alive
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
#Wine in #Moldova is one of the main exports to the #EU. With the 2006 #Russian embargo and the country’s new direction, Moldova has increasingly oriented itself towards the EU market. www.balcanicaucaso.org/en/cp_articl...
balcanicaucaso.org
Moldovan wine route to the EU - OBCT
Wine in Moldova is one of the main exports to the EU. With the 2006 Russian embargo and the country's new direction, Moldova has increasingly oriented itself towards the EU market. We interviewed Marg...
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Simple #Adriatic pleasures. #Croatia
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Ian Bancroft @ianbancroft.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
"#Bosnia and #Herzegovina has already lost €108 million in EU funding...Without implementing the reform agenda and finalising the Growth Plan, Bosnia and Herzegovina risks losing an additional €370 million." www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/bosnia-...
eeas.europa.eu
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