The Balkan Region, and particularly the Western part closer to the EU, consisting of the so-called WB6 – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia[1], Montenegro and Serbia – has always had a fundamental role within the international geopolitical chessboard. Since its geostrategic position between the EU, Russia and Turkey, the relevance this area holds might be better understood with a sight to the containment and management of the current international challenges.
Since the demise of the Federation of former Yugoslavia in 1991 and the subsequent rise of nationalistic tensions claiming higher level of autonomy, this area became the centre of interest for several international actors such as the EU, US, Russia and Turkey. The aim these actors pursued has constantly been presented as the need to develop an adequate level of security and stability in the region, although their actions have often been inspired by their national geopolitical interests.
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[1] Since the international status of the country has still not been determined, as a matter of ease I will use the term Macedonia to refer to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
