Balkan integration, Juncker: The only way to avoid war
President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker has warned the possibility of a war returning in the case that the Western Balkans put an end to their hopes of joining the European Union.
"If we do not open the door to these countries in such a complex and tragic region, if we do not open a European perspective for them, we will see a return to war in that area, as we witnessed in 1990.
"I do not want the war to return to the Balkans, so we must be open to them," said Jean-Claude Juncker at the plenary session of the European Parliament.
The European Commission President's statement comes on the eve of the joint summit between leaders of the European Union and the Balkans in Sofia, where the focus will be on the further development of ties between the parties.
Although some states have resisted the expansion of the European family, the prospect of EU membership has proved a major motivation in inciting reforms across the Balkans.