The Balkans can easily become one of the chessboards where the big power game can be played, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Monday.

Mogherni made the remark following the meeting of EU's Foreign Affairs Council, when a reporter asked how deep the concern was about Russian interference in the Western Balkans - "and to what extent are member-states seeking action in that regard."

"I have seen in the Western Balkans in these days much more than ever before: a region exposed to different layers of challenges and tensions. Some internal, domestic politics dynamics that create tensions in some countries; some regional inter-ethnic tensions or between or among countries that are extremely dangerous because they could bring the region back a few years. Peace is never to be given for granted," she said, and added:

"And also I have seen a region exposed to some global tensions. The Balkans can easily become one of the chessboards where the big power game can be played. So the concern is there, also because this is happening just after a very good year for the Balkans. There is not one single of the six of the Western Balkans that has not done enormous progress last year on its European integration path - well, maybe one or two - but the general sense of direction last year was excellent, evident, uncontroversial and the result of a common determination both here, in Brussels, by the EU institutions, by the member states and from the countries in the region."

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