Why do we have so many small countries? Why can't we just unite all of them into a big country called "Balkania"?🤔
Posted by I_Am_Salty1@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 206 comments
OnkelMickwald@reddit
SEVENTH
EphemeralOcean@reddit
😂
Aulawabe@reddit
1. It wouldn't be possible because we our self couldn't manage it.
Doesn't really need explanation for this one.
2. Others would not allow is even if we wanted to.
Historically other superpowers have wanted their own strong man in the region. Be it the west(Austria-Hungary/Germany/UK) or the east(Soviet Union/Russia and Turkey) They would want "their" guy to be running the show and they would do anything to make it so. No one wants a big dog. The west for sure wants smaller countries that can obey as do the Russians.
USA today would sure want to be a arbiter of some sort if this was anywhere nearly possible.
Personally in a perfect world as a Serb I would be all for. But It wouldn't work as there would always be someone wanting to dominate. We are not mature enough to even enter EU let alone form a greater Balkan country.
morbihann@reddit
Some of us are already in a union of some sort. Catch up.
Archaeopteryx111@reddit
Best comment. In terms of territory, only Romania is likely to peacefully reunite with Moldova at some point in the future.
Arstanishe@reddit
the whole russian doll of transnistria -> moldova -> romania
Glittering-Poet-2657@reddit
I feel like there’s also a good chance of Kosovo uniting with Albania.
Jeffwv1965@reddit
Because of the deep love the Balkans have for one another- there is a reason Balkanisation is a term
Connect-Friendship49@reddit
We all are just too specific people
Basic-Sign-7144@reddit
The map is wrong. There is no country called Macedonia.
Weary_Cable_3780@reddit
Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina should form Yugoslavia Kosovo should unite with Albania Moldova should unite with Romania Macedonia should unite with Bulgaria
tzoni_montana@reddit
all of these are Greece
r-tty@reddit
Turkey, who forced Albania & parts of Bosnia to convert to islam a few hundred years ago, would disagree.
Lizard_Of_Roz@reddit
It’s probably going to go further in the other direction. BiH is cracking at the seams lately. And Kosovo might get full international recognition at some point.
Particular_Simple_30@reddit
America wouldn't like that
ConsequenceKnown4012@reddit
Macedonia is Greece... this state over there is former yugoslave ...
Embarrassed_Ad1722@reddit
Oh boy, here we go... You wanna start another Balkan war over who invented feta cheese?
gligix@reddit
Unite Balkania! We would habe so many cool features
ConfusedPhDLemur@reddit
Awful idea. I’m more than happy being in the EU.
The only new country I would support would be a Federal Europe, not this..
Beautiful-Dish-6275@reddit
I mean, we are all probbaly gonna be in the EU country in like 30 years. Not that I mind, western Europe needs eastern Europe in the EU if it wants to make EU a relevant player in geopolitics.
Id rather have my country in the EU than be Chinas colony.
naumovski-andrej@reddit
Yeah I don't think Macedonia is ever making it to the EU.
Terrible_Wrap1928@reddit
thank god
Active-Radish2813@reddit
Bulgaria will never lose its place as the most corrupt and poor EU country 💪
sarcasmusex@reddit
How would you be China s colony? If anything EU seems to be usa s bitch at the moment. And all the inflation we are seeing in Europe has to do with US politics
Beautiful-Dish-6275@reddit
EU is still far more resilient to USA than Croatia would be to China.
Look up what China is doing with Africa for example with belt and road initiative.
No-Sandwich2225@reddit
Montenegro is basically a Chinese colony. They have sold themselves to China.
Active-Radish2813@reddit
The "debt trap" stuff is frequently simplified and dramatized
Meanwhile the US blows up the world every Tuesday
sarcasmusex@reddit
How? Even a comment from German chancellor triggered a wave of criticism, threats to withdraw military etc. Lets not talk about tariffs, threats to take Greenland, dependcy on gas and oil from USA. USA has way more control over EU than China has in Africa.
Responsible_Chest116@reddit
I don’t think you would want in the EU, the smartest decision would be to make your own Balkan union as you would have more things in common and can legislate around those things.
The EU are a bunch of sleazy bureaucrats that would restrict and manage your countries direction based on their whim.
Beautiful-Dish-6275@reddit
There arw Balkan sleazy bureaceats who want to control western countires, it goes both ways.
Responsible_Chest116@reddit
Yes of course, but they are YOUR sleazy bureaucrats. Not France’s, Spain’s, Belgium et al.
puzzledpanther@reddit
I'd rather have German bureaucrats do things than Greek bureaucrats.
In fact I'd be willing to lend my country's governemnt to the Japanese for a few decades so they can sort it out and teach our politicians how not to be fucking governing bums.
Beautiful-Dish-6275@reddit
Tbh, i think all bureaucrats are equally bad, balkan and western.
el_salinho@reddit
You think Balkan countries don’t have sleazy bureaucrats that restrict and manage their countries on their whim?
You really, seriously, think balkan countries are more functional than western europe?
starlordbg@reddit
According to popular belief, the EU is about to collapse in the next few years /s
Swimming-Salt-21@reddit
EU has been about to collapse for the past 20 years, and yet ammong EU citizens it’s very popular and many support it according to the polls.
Wild-Dimension6232@reddit
And I'm hearing this for the last 30 of my 41 years on this planet while continuously seeing the same people ready to go flip burgers for 13e/h(minimum salary) in the very same EU.
It's strange how non of them went to the super liberal and humane Moscow or the technology wonder that in 5 years will be better than USA and EU together called China. So please stop with the bullshit
That_One_Guy1357@reddit
According to scaremongers on the right, sure.
Lin_Un@reddit
I wonder why …
Should_have_been_ded@reddit
Last time we did that we named a salad after the assassinated emperor
AgreeableFeedback868@reddit
Last time we had one y'all were rather upset about it
Active-Radish2813@reddit
They'll have to invent a word for joining many small hostile policies into one, maybe balkanization
Opening_Coast3412@reddit
Why Slovenia is a Balkan country while Hungary is not?
sbepka@reddit
Crack open a history book on this region, and you'll find why.
Eastern_Weather_8748@reddit
Leave Greece out of it. Only the Turkish part we keep. The rest is for the Slavs. Albania can join also.
Kaiser-Kahan@reddit
Because we would fuck your mother when you dare to touch Istanbul.
Mguener@reddit
Because at some point some fascists will start massacring others who think differently, who believe differently
1stFunestist@reddit
It is interesting that that union takes only half of Greece and rest is (probably) given to Turks.
🥛🔥
Katatoniac@reddit
Kooky_Appeal_6554@reddit
How would this work? Three different Faith:
Christians: Katoliks and Ortodoks, and Muslims: Sunni and Bektashi
Only in Romania at Dobrogea is a peace to live together
https://www.rjontour.com/grand-mosque-constanta/
gryspnik@reddit
The revolutionaries of the 19th century wanted to do exactly that. The imperialists of the time didn't want this because it'd create a very strong and strategically placed state that they wouldn't be able to control. Instead, they created a dozen impotent little countries that are under the full control of Germans, UK, France, USA and Russia
Madatefute@reddit
You mean “foreverwar” country? 😂
neobedirhan@reddit
Voldypants_420@reddit
Altruistic-Board5322@reddit
Con: a new genocide
Pro: We can make a movie though, captain Balkanika, smoking cigarettes, drinking 6 coffees per day and losing his money in slots machines
albardha@reddit
That sounds like two pros to me.
Altruistic-Board5322@reddit
😂 true balkan spirit you have there my friend
username_not_found19@reddit
Only 6? Those are rookie numbers. You gotta pump up those numbers
Saul_Andrei_2003@reddit
And being drunk all the time😂
Vdd666@reddit
6 coffees and no alcohol? Must be the trailer
Available_Bus_9010@reddit
Alcohol is expensive 👀
Altruistic-Board5322@reddit
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Available_Bus_9010@reddit
"smoking cigarettes, drinking 6 coffees per day and losing his money in slots machines" THATS ME!
xploiter1@reddit
I don’t see no alcohol in that list.
Charming-Panic3561@reddit
Coffee is WITH alcohol
rastgele_anime_fan42@reddit
Those are his nightly activities (except coffee, as that's the whole day), he drinks alcohol during the day
name2sayMKD@reddit
We are united.........in hate/s
hamsifalacata@reddit
It would be like super mega Yugoslavia and everyone would die
haiwany@reddit
USA is ready to bring democracy to Balkania. Oo wait is there some oil here?
adighaalan@reddit
Yeah the last time someone tried to unite the balkans, it didnt end up very "well"
Aggravating-Milk-688@reddit
Yes, last time that idea turned out really great for everybody. Whole groups of people were so ecstatic about that very same idea—so unbelievably excited—that they disappeared from the face of the earth.
Terrible_Wrap1928@reddit
spontaneous combustion out of excitement
hihimorius@reddit
Greece, Romania and Bulgaria are not small, they are bigger than many West Europe countries
SignificantMeet8747@reddit
we're all essentially a single country during the summer
Terrible_Wrap1928@reddit
fr
CryptographerKind632@reddit
why same stupid question over and over again!
ZenaMeTepe@reddit
Laziness and human desire to live at someone elses expense. That's why.
oldyellowcab@reddit
Let’s resurrect Romans / Eastern Romans / Ottomans / Austria-Hungarians. Brrr🥶🥵
SentenceTop1585@reddit
been there, done that
once some countries become civil enough they will join EU
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
It’s still a long way unfortunately until some countries are having fascist fill whole stadiums in 2026. 😔
SentenceTop1585@reddit
Not aware of any such happenings, but fascism is prohibited by law in EU
On the other hand, I can think of some countries run by fascists, with their youth massively protesting against them for a long time
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
It’s not the only thing ur not aware of so don’t bother my friend.
Future Croat generations will tell you
SentenceTop1585@reddit
Oh well, being aware of things most of people aren't, doesn't make them true or important
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
Don’t worry brother
Average hreddit poster check soccer fan check
1+1=2
Let me guess black is ur favorite color to wear
SentenceTop1585@reddit
actually blue and white, but I did go true my metal phase (only black) when I was your age
ArteMyssy@reddit
you re simply jealous
you want Austria keeps the status of the biggest war criminal in the Balkans
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
I mean Austria banned you guys from gathering in bleiburg doing Hitler chants and called ur gathering (where ur official elected politicians appeared) fascist and a revisionism festival.
The Major just lately stated that the Croat government wanted the ban to be lifted, ofc it was aggressively rejected.
RiverNo6782@reddit
chill Aleksandar
mdouk@reddit
Corruption over 9000
TurbulentVoice3475@reddit
You are new here huh?
Longjumping_Turn_105@reddit
Austria here, hear me out before the Turks start speaking.
Mr-Potato-Head99@reddit
I'd rather revive Byzantium than Austro-Hungary or the Ottomans.
Able-Art-3042@reddit
yeah the hungarians have been quite terrible
Yhuichy@reddit
Seethe
Clear-Edge-3612@reddit
And it would be the second greatest country in all of southeastern Europe!
mahnatazis@reddit
Yugoslavia existed at one point. It didn't include all the countries from this map. Let's just say it didn't exactly work out in the end.
PeroCigla@reddit
Not gonna work.
Captain3007@reddit
First Tsardom tried that and you didn't like it
Johnbaptist69@reddit
Because it's north Macedonia, and they are Slavs. Also Albanians. Also Alexander was serb.
Sashpeto@reddit
We haven't had a Balkans war in a while ...
rastgele_anime_fan42@reddit
Yeah the sequel got boring, we need a threequel
JufffoWup@reddit
The yugo wars were Balkan War III.
rastgele_anime_fan42@reddit
I think that's more like a spin-off, as it included way more countries, way more time, and a whole different plot than the first two.
baxulax@reddit
What a shitty map…why is Greece only half Balkan?
MintCathexis@reddit
Short answer: mountains.
Long answer: history and mountains.
Mountain_Radio8936@reddit
O shit here we go again...
Nice-Panda-7981@reddit
United states of palinka
Aromatic-Studio-137@reddit
Bot post
2x_tag@reddit
Yes, call the country Battleworld.
Financial-Cow-7263@reddit
civil war speedrun
Late_Secret3480@reddit
You unite Macedonia with Greece except if you mean Scopia
TurkOmbre@reddit
Countries like Romania are already quite large. Romania can easily house 40 million people; it just needs to have more children. On the other hand, Yugoslavia needs to be reborn; they speak the same language. Macedonia should be divided between Bulgaria and Albania, and Kosovo between Serbia and Albania.
photo_master13@reddit
Because every "nation" there gets there first, and every nation has a very unique mentality, and every single nation has a very unique language. /S
Grounds4TheSubstain@reddit
Because you've been killing each other for centuries, especially when forced into larger states that mix multiple ethnicities.
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
Please no, we don’t need more Frankenstein states
ArteMyssy@reddit
das gute alte ”Serbien muss sterbien!”
Össi bleibt össi auch in der fünftten Generation
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
Are you okay ? Or you just struggle with German ?
ArteMyssy@reddit
i am struggling with verkappten nazis
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
You guys have an unhealthy obsession with Austria and hating it.
Get some therapy
ArteMyssy@reddit
don t be delusional, Austria doesn t really count
but an Austrian calling the project of an united south-Slavic state "Frankenstei", reveals his habsburgsnazi genes
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
i am an Austrian Serb and not really, most serbs and croats reject Yugoslavia.
Why would any Serbs simp or look back in nostalgia towards an opressive regime run by an Croat/Slovene Dictator who fought against Serbia in WW1 and only made sure later that all interests are covered beside the serb ones, not only that but also further butchering it territory with autonmous zones after paying the most blood in ww2.
and chill down with calling people nazis, but habsburgsnazi was a funny one
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
Not exactly true.
Reducing Tito to a “Croat/Slovene dictator” is peak oversimplification. If Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was supposedly anti-Serb, why did millions of Serbs support it for 45 years, dominate its army, and move into its biggest cities and institutions?
Mr-Potato-Head99@reddit
says the Austrian.
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
What positive legacy has Yugoslavia ?
dummysquill@reddit
what we need is food for our economies
Imaginary_String_814@reddit
Transparency, rule of law and battling of corruption/nepotism is most importantly imo (but this is the case for all nations tho)
dummysquill@reddit
Subtlety, favouring other dominant nations, strengthening giving liabilities to heiers and not letting new comers own anything other than a car. How human
Substantial_Oil8201@reddit
How many valleys tou got
PavelKringa55@reddit
Balkan wars v3!!!
oioioioioioiioo@reddit
Strategically it would be great but unfortunately the nationalism mentality in the Balkans is against, everyone considers their own plot an independent nation now
raskoe47@reddit
this is mostly because of years of opression under all kinda of empires and kingdoms that made people be proud of being part of “their own” independent state that is so ethniclly and religiously homogenus
lukatsito@reddit
This.
FlamosSnow@reddit
I do not want to be put in a union with more of me.. I hate my country enough to have to deal with other people's same bulshit in a different language
Grand-Glove-9985@reddit
We are already united in the European Union, and within the Schengen area you can travel freely without borders. For the rest who want to join, come on. We are waiting for you and your culture, but be aware that we are going to invade after, ... as tourists, with loads of cash in our pockets destined for your local business.
Fare-Snake@reddit
Thats doomsday formula...
levenspiel_s@reddit
And then what?
Saul_Andrei_2003@reddit
Balkan battleground
michixlol@reddit
And what happens with the rest of Greece?
tempestwolf1@reddit
Latigrecoturkislavia
Saul_Andrei_2003@reddit
Pov: You just summoned a demon😂
Tonyukuk09@reddit
İ have an idea: unite them and attach the Türkiye afsgs
Kalatapie@reddit
That sounds familiar. Oh, wait! https://youtu.be/aGReLj4QPZU?is=J44mVOlZu0kjv-HZ
Putrid_Speed_5138@reddit
procust9@reddit
Cromania 🇷🇴 ... capital in Pula 😎
FrontEnd_Enthusiast@reddit
And since those are southern (yug) Slavic people, we could make up a name for that, sth like Slavoyugia?
MendiWTF@reddit
Balkan countries: Government f*cks you, neighbours and family takes care of you.
EU countries: Governent f*cks you and then tries to take care of you. At least they get to have our money so they can give it to the richer!
myladyart@reddit
Well, I understand from your question that you don’t know them. That’d answer to your question
bratorimatori@reddit
Because we would dominate, and we don’t want that. Do we now?
DucaJ@reddit
Its 2026, you do not need political reasons to commit genocide, catch up.
ContributionLatter32@reddit
Look up balkanization you will laugh your ass off at this post xD
MFDOM2K@reddit
staritraper@reddit
Corruptia would fit better
Merdaviglioso@reddit
Biggest civil war ever.
SnoopCheesus@reddit
We would tear each other to shreds.
Why don't animal shelters keep cats and dogs in the same cage?
smiley_but_not_happy@reddit
Id like to migrate to Balkania
Einherjeren@reddit
Balcony?
IK417@reddit
Because a more proper name would be: Great Civilwaria
Western-Pear5874@reddit
We can’t come together because too many of us cling to centuries-old conflicts inherited from distant ancestors, repeating them without reflection instead of thinking for ourselves.
I believe this mostly happens because we're the least educated people in Europe.
trisul-108@reddit
Because that requires removing the word "balkanisation" from the dictionaries. Publishers are pushing back on the initiative.
kvnstantinos@reddit
They’ll all join the EU eventually anyway
powerexcess@reddit
And like fk attika and the peloponese for some reason
Timely-Marzipan2049@reddit
Yeah, good idea! In this great new state everyone must speak Romanian, capital is Bucharest and religion Orthodox.
Giposaur@reddit
That's why you don't skip school classes...
Pmike9@reddit
WhodIzhod69@reddit
Ahem ahem
Money-Rest-380@reddit
We'd be warring over alcoholic beverages :/
shadowdance55@reddit
We are in the process of doing just that. We also included a few other less significant countries to the west, and the name is different (something something "union"), but we're getting there!
somberxba@reddit
The only right answer!
Icy_Relationship_401@reddit
We speeding the invention of hyper racism with this idea
ixxorn@reddit
As a Hugarian I feel equally grateful and offended at the same time.
Emotional_Fan239@reddit
Whis part of Turkiye colored but not Trieste?
NZTamoDalekoCG@reddit
Unity is overated, look at history.
Disunited Greeks fought off the mighty persian empire.
United Germany lost more territory and ethnography united than as a decentralised "mess".
As a former Yugoslav I honestly say Yugoslavia is now stronger than ever. At least one goverment might be doing something right at any one time, keeping the others on its toes.
Also honorable mention goes to united China versus disunited Europe, which ended up thrashing one of the most dominant civilisations on this planet.
As somebody who is into history....this is also why I think EU is a extremly bad idea.
Jayar9000@reddit
They tried under Tito to keep it together. It fell apart the moment he died. Crazy how much people that speak the same language want to kill each other so badly
Tutrastra@reddit
Some of them are Russia's vassals. They are not trustworthy.
FixLaudon@reddit
Well there is already a state where all those guys live together kinda happily. It's called Austria.
Lebor@reddit
Alright guys, lets start right on with giving it some better name this time.
BlokZNCR@reddit
Half of Greece is yellow, either part of Türkiye or Italy, nice
LizardmanJoe@reddit
Turkey is just the European part now. The rest is NESW, whatever that is.
AJSE2020@reddit
WSA*
Western south asia
Young_Owl99@reddit
I get the Turkey part but why would you enjoy Greece being a part of Italy lol.
Trody34@reddit
New fear unlocked 😳
EverythingIsTakeeeen@reddit
Meh, these countries should unite but they are too retarded. You got Turkey on the east, Italy and Germany from the north. Also Yugoslavia gave good possibilities to negotiate and nice coastline.
Halicos93@reddit
We already did that onec it didn't turn out well xD.
Annoying_guest@reddit
Byrek for all
No-Heart3432@reddit
We should unite under this
KaleidoscopeFar8190@reddit
We tried that and it didn’t work out, whole region is cursed.
Arhys@reddit
Hehe, we tried it earlier and failed as well, so did the Romans…
Maybe EU works out 🤷♂️
MiroPS@reddit
This could explain a lot...
matyas94k@reddit
When I see today's political borders used for such an idea, I know that OP hasn't thought through it or isn't informed well enough.
Geographical or cultural delimiters are much more representative than those lines.
NigthSHadoew@reddit
Please no. World is bad enough, we don't need a Balkania Civil War/Wars of Unification to add to things.
Glittering-Put-6729@reddit
So... Portugal isn't included?? 😪
tritiated-@reddit
Good idea, these people are generally united in fraternity
MrDilbert@reddit
We were members of big countries (monkeys together - STRONG) throughout the most of our existence in these parts, so we have some experience with it. And that experience says - yeah, nah, thanks. Union maybe, but not one big country.
And we're already in a Union, so... :shrug: If you're not, shape up and come on down.
OverallObligation271@reddit
Why is Peloponnese and crete out?
TechnoKhagan@reddit
We could have another go if you want
jellobend@reddit
Unbalkanize the Balkans. Bet nobody thought of that before
NoTackle718@reddit
Ever hear of Yugoslavia???
Mysterious-Put1459@reddit
Replace the K with a G and the N with a R and we’ve got a deal
CopenHagenCityBruh@reddit
I've played these games before!!!!
lilalindenau@reddit
Why less countries if we could have even more?
Suitable-Decision-26@reddit
Why are you gay... Not saying you are, but it is the same line of questioning.
Kajaznuni96@reddit
This is just Greater Armenia
_lavoisier_@reddit
sounds like a new civil war idea
BulutAndFriends@reddit
Bro wants another genocide
Vedat9854@reddit
Balkanization
BankResident4559@reddit