Sputnik | 12. 03. 2017 to 07: 18h

http://www.blic.rs/vesti/svet/pustite-baltik-rusija-vam-otima-balkan/dkzbmdw

Russia actively uses its cultural ties with the Orthodox peoples of the Balkans, while the influence of the EU in the region, on the contrary, decreases due to the melting of the perspective of EU enlargement, writes "The Financial Times".

The EU and NATO are trying to figure from which side will arrive next challenge from Russia. According to the journalists of 'Financial Times', they need to care for the Baltic countries, but also for South East Europe - Balkans.

After the nineties, which were marred by wars in the Balkans, there was a stabilization thanks to the support of the United States and possibly distant but promising integration with the EU, which eventually helped to bring together the people of the former Yugoslavia, as it happened with France and Germany, reports Sputnik.

https://rs.sputniknews.com/regioni/201703111110347366-Baltik-Rusija-Baltik12/

Now, in the background of the economic crisis, a wave of refugees, "briexit" and the growth of nationalism in Europe, the new EU enlargement can hardly be foreseen, while Donald Trump looks as not to be at all interested in the countries on the margins of Europe, the paper said.

This fact opens up the possibility of Russia to resist the spread of the influence of the EU and the US to try to shift alliances, and even borders.

According to the authors, whatever upheavals that are happening in the Balkans, the hand of Moscow will be somewhere around. He argues that the October coup attempt in Montenegro, which was first attributed to Serbian nationalists, in fact, was organized with the support of the Russian special services, to make difficulty to the country to join the NATO.

The train that went to Kosovo with the inscription "Kosovo is Serbia" was produced in Russia. In addition, Russia supported the nationalist mood of the President of the Republic of Serbia Milorad Dodik, who call for secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the crisis in Macedonia support page that is not supported by the EU.

In order to provide the resistance and not allow the presence of the Russian army in the region, the US and EU should be fighting for the sympathies of the inhabitants of the Balkans. Regardless of the advisors and officers of Donald Trump, as well as his personal views and perspectives, it is likely that the US will remain interested in the development of Europe.

After all, even if the perspective of the Balkans in the EU is hazy, Europe possesses levers of influence on the situation. As a source of aid, investment and trade relations between the EU significantly exceeds Russia. Regardless of cultural ties with Russia, practically the entire wave of migration from the Balkans go to Europe.

However, there is little promise and investments from Europe in order to rectify the situation. EU should deal with this region much more, according to the author of the article. It is necessary to carefully monitor developments, fight against Russian propaganda, and European leaders should constantly visit the region, in order to show that the Balkans and its problems seriously.

"Above all, this requires political will. Without that, the most problematic corner of Europe can plunges into his dark past, which can have dangerous consequences for the whole continent," he concludes, "Financial Times".

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IZAKOVIC