The Possible Problems of Balkan Accession to the European Un

Introduction Though this paper is meant to address a current event pertaining to the European Union, it is difficult to explain some things without delving into the past. This paper deals not with a single concrete event, but rather a process that could have deep implications for the European Union. This process involves one of the most ethnically diverse, and unfortunately, most volatile regions of the globe: the Balkans. This paper will briefly address the …

…flare-up into open hostility? Will the EU have to suspend or expel misbehaving member-states? Would the EU risk sending the political message that the Balkans are not part of the European family and not expand? In all reality, these problems will fix themselves with little consequence. However, any analysis of Balkan history will reveal that the region has the uncanny ability of dividing and shattering the Pax Europeana. Perhaps caution would be the best policy.