The president of the EU Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, warned that the Balkan region could go towards a new war if Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia don’t feel that the EU is serious in offering an accession perspective, according to Euroactiv.
“If, in Europe’s highly complicated landscape, the impression arises that we’re not serious about offering the prospect of EU membership to the western Balkans, then we might see later — and probably even sooner — what we saw in Balkans in the 1990s,” Juncker said in a speech to the Austrian parliament.
The Western Balkan countries, which made the battleground to Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, during the 1990s, are currently at different phases with the EU integration talks.
While accession negotiations are officially open for Serbia and Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia are still waiting to open them. Bosnia and Kosovo are listed as potential candidates.
Juncker had mentioned last December that the enlargement with the Balkan countries was vital for preserving the region’s stability. He said that he expected Serbia and Montenegro join the block until 2025.
However, their path towards full EU integration is still very long.
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