Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission (EC), said in Brussels on Wednesday that there was a high risk of the restoration of the 1990s if the Western Balkans countries did not have a perspective of joining the European Union, the FoNet news agency reported.

Speaking after talks with the Slovenian President Borut Pahor, Juncker said the Western Balkans’ chances of joining the bloc had to be real, adding he believed “it was the question of war or peace.”

On January 1, Romania assumed the presidency of the European Union. Until June 30, Bucharest will be the center of many European events.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker commented on this in unusually directly with a statement expressing suspicion that Romania was ready for the role, Sarajevo-based Dnevni Avaz is reporting.

EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn says that within the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, "territorial exchange" or "border correction" is not excluded as "the final part of the puzzle", reports Radio television of Serbia, quoting the FYROM's news agency MIA.

The European Union has to take a united stand on the Western Balks or others will shape its neighbourhood, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned on Wednesday.
“We must find unity when it comes to the Western Balkans – once and for all. Should we not, our immediate neighbourhood will be shaped by others,” he said in his state of the union address to the EP.

President Aleksandar Vucic met on Thursday in Thessaloniki with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Serbia's EU integration was discussed, while Juncker "confirmed the clear and unequivocal European perspective of Serbia," said reports, citing a statement issued by the president's press office.

Vucic invited Juncker to visit Serbia during the mandate of the European Commission and stressed that since 2000, Serbia "believes in joining the European Union - but much time has passed."