European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned on Friday that war could break out in the Balkans if the region does not see its European perspective.

Unless we give the Balkans a perspective for membership (in the European Union)… we could have a repeat of the events of the 1990s sooner or later, he said during a visit to Vienna.

The EU should tackle the Balkans in a more intensive manner and not allow the “birth of the idea” that the EU is not serious about membership and added that some member states do not want to see the Balkan countries in the Union.  

The ground is still  fertile for new wars in the region, he warned.  

Juncker said that border disputes have to be resolved before accession to prevent the EU from importing instability from the Balkans.