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Small glaciers on the Balkan Peninsula are tiny masses of firn and ice (areas from 0.5 to 5 ha) which have been proved permanent at least since the coldest phases of the Little Ice Age, and are slowly moving under their own gravity. These are considered glacial, but also karstic features at the same time, because the topography that provides for their existence in the marginal conditions of the Mediterranean climate is result of the occurrence of Pleistocene glaciation together with the carbonate rocks and the karst processes related to them. Small glaciers on the Balkan Peninsula are among the most southerly situated in Europe. They are very sensitive to short-term variations of climate, and serve as natural indicators for climate change. The present study is dedicated to small glaciers in Pirin (Bulgaria) and Durmitor (Montenegro) as representative high mountain glacio-karstic features from the western and the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula respectively. The similarities and differences in their inter-annual behaviour (changes of size) reflect the general and peculiar characteristics of high mountain climate, and the specific influence of topography. In the conditions of climatic warming a downward trend is registered in their development for the period on the focus of this study: 2005-2017. In the last several years this trend has a stronger expression in the western Balkans.