"Centuries-old canned food": This is how Zoran Djindjic is said to have described the resentment that prevails between the various ethnic groups on the territory of the former Yugoslavia.
In 2003 the head of government of Serbia was shot dead in the street by Serbian nationalists.
Three decades after the collapse of Yugoslavia, new states have formed.
But resentment towards the neighbors remains;
Hate from WWII meets new trauma from the wars of the 1990s.
“There is hardly a family that is not affected by atrocious crimes in any part of the relatives.
And that is passed on to the children orally, «reports Walter Mayr, who as a SPIEGEL reporter has been observing developments in the Balkans for more than 30 years.
Two states of the former Yugoslavia have made it into the EU so far: Croatia and Slovenia.
All other countries want to join as well, but so far without success.
»With Croatia you take in a medium-sized country from the former Yugoslavia and you keep the others at the door for a long time.
In terms of geopolitical terms, that creates a considerable imbalance and of course also raises the question of justice, "says Walter Mayr," and it tells a lot about the non-functioning of an EU foreign policy and about double standards. "
Meanwhile, other power blocs see their chance to influence these states: Russia, Turkey, China and the Gulf states, says Mayr.
To the disadvantage for Europe.
You can hear the current episode here:
