BALKAN IS "ON FIRE" BECAUSE OF THIS: All the conflicts between the states in one place

Balkans is considered to be a "powder keg" for decades now that should be cultivated and converted into an oasis of peace and prosperity, such as for example Scandinavia. Just like in a theater play, and the movie, slightest spark is enough to lead to disaster. Although the Western Balkan countries signed a declaration that they will not block each other's path to the EU because of bilateral issues, in practice this is far from agreed.

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Most of the former Yugoslav republics has bilateral disputes relating to the issue of succession and property. In addition, Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are also arguing over the prosecution of war crimes and refugee status.

SERBIA - CROATIA

Croatia is a special case in the Balkans, and entering the EU and NATO did not remove the danger of the spark igniting the powder keg. Breaking of Cyrillic boards in Vukovar, placing the bards with Ustasha slogans "Ready for homeland", attacks on Serbian Tourists in Dalmatia and Zagreb and announcing of the declaration of Cardinal Stepinac as a saint is only the tip of the iceberg of Ustasa movement.

Foto: Tanjug/FaH

Even in the report of American State Department is stated that the violence against the members of ethnic minorities is the biggest problem in human rights violations in Croatia. And instead of Zagreb starting to clean their own yard, there comes a customs war and the blockade of Serbia in negotiations with the European Union. Inflammatory statements from both sides of the Danube is fulfilled with mini race in arms.

Officially, the main point of contention between Serbia and Croatia is border on Danube, Serbian Law about regional juristiction, and status of minorities from both sides of the border.

SERBIA - BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 

Despite conciliatory tones from Belgrade, and words of support for unified Bosnia and Herzegovina, from the highest leadership in Serbia, the official Sarajevo often send poison darts at us.

The last example is the attempt of revision of the suit for genocide before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which was initiated by the Bosniak Member of the presidency Bakir Izetbegovic. The question of defining crimes in Srebrenica still remains.

Fontana ispred Palate mira u Hagu u kojoj se nalazi Međunarodni krivični sud, čiji se toranj vidi u pozadini. Foto: Wikimedia Commons/Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed

Also, relationship is burdened with border disputes.

SERBIA - KOSOVO AND METOHIJA 

The relationship between Belgrade and Pristina is reflected in the Brussels dialogue, which is frozen by the Kosovo Albanians after the recent events in connection with Ramush Haradinaj. But tensions have risen in the last year, since the dispute of "Serbian train", over the attempts to establish "Kosovo Army", to more than inflammatory statements of Pristina officials about the "Greater Albania".

Foto: Tanjug/Edib Tahirović

Even though, official Belgrade attempts to continue dialogue in all possible ways, to carry out the signed and agreed work, leaders of the Interim administration in Pristina are doing everything to obstruct the agreement.

SERBIA - BULGARIA / ROMANIA 

It seems that our country has no open questions with our eastern neighbors, in negotiations of joining the European Union, from time to time there comes a request from Sofia, or Bucharest about protection of Bulgarian, or Romanian rights of minorities in Serbia.

Usually, after the intervention of leading countries of EU, those voices are suited.

CROATIA - BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA / MONTENEGRO 

Besides border conflict with Serbia on Danube, Croatia is fighting Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Zagreb is arguing with Sarajevo about building Peljesac Bridge, but also about border crossings, while the argument with Podgorica is around Prevlaka in front of international arbitration.

As Croatia being the member of EU, it is using its authority in these arguments and greatly abuses its "privileged" position.

MONTENEGRO - KOSOVO AND METOHIJA 

Dispute over Prevlaka is not the only territorial problem of Montenegro. As they recognized southern Serbian province as a independent state, now they are in dispute with Pristina about border demarcation.

Foto: Tanjug/Edib Tahirović

That dispute additionally makes visa liberalization hard for citizens of Kosovo and Metohija, but it also endangers the already unstable political situation in Pristina.

ALBANIA - GREECE 

There is a dispute about territorial waters between Athens and Tirana in the Ionian Sea. Also, both countries have accusations against each other when it comes to minority rights on both sides of the border.

GREECE - MACEDONIA 

Since Macedonia became independent, their dispute about their name is ongoing with Greece. That dispute has been blocking Skopje for years on their road to Euro-Atlantic integrations. No matter the international suggestions, Athens has a strong position as a member of EU and NATO. Macedonians are having a hard time lately with the forming of government and two year political crisis.

Foto: Tanjug/AP

MACEDONIA - BULGARIA 

In the sea of problems that are troubling Macedonia, there is a dispute with Bulgaria. The question of minorities rights, and the fact that Sofia doesn't want to acknowledge Macedonian Language. Also, with studying in Bulgaria they go to assimilation, and aspirations to Macedonian territories are not foreign to Bulgarian nationalists.

(Telegraf.co.uk)