SARAJEVO – It is very likely that Europe’s next crisis could happen in the Balkans, under the influence of Russia and Turkey. WSJ reports that if this happens, EU could be shaken to the core.
Russia and Turkey are considered to be key actors in this part of Europe and also the main causes of potential crisis.
“Russia and Turkey would encourage their proxies in the Balkans, Serbia and Albania, to help them redraw the region’s borders”, reports WSJ.
WSJ also reports that Serbia government, with Russian support, could annex part of Bosnia populated by Serbs.
As far as Albania is concerned, Turkish support could help Albania to annex Kosovo, in the same way as Serbia would do in Bosnia.
However, WSJ explains that this scenario is not very likely to happen, since it would be difficult for these two countries to agree on new borders.
Furthermore, WSJ states that the West should worry about Turkish influence in the Balkans, since Turkey have been cooperating more closely with Russia, although it is NATO member “on paper”.
“Every Balkan country would rather be part of the EU than be allied to either Russia or Turkey”, reports WSJ, but it is also emphasised that hopes of EU memberships are fading and that both Serbia and Albania have warned that if the West doesn’t provide support, they will shift to Russia and Turkey.
“Although the quarrels in the Balkans are trivial compared with larger problems elsewhere, what happens in the Balkans does not always stay in the Balkans, and NATO as well as the EU could be shaken to the core by another round of Balkan bloodletting since the crisis has the potential to redefine US – EU relations for decades”, WSJ reports.