Describe the serious problem faced by …

The Balkans comprised of modern-day Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro and a large part of this region was under the control of the Ottoman Empire. Some of the reasons that made this region very explosive and caused conflict are :
(i)  The feelings of nationalism of these countries was in conflict with one another. They were fiercely jealous of each other and struggled to define their identity. They were extremely intolerant of one another.
(ii) The disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, which had throughout the nineteenth century, tried to strengthen itself through modernisation and reforms.
(iii) The breaking away of each of these nationalist groups one by one from the control of the Ottoman Empire and declaring themselves as independent with political rights, on the basis of history. They proved that once they had been independent but were subsequently subjugated.
(iv) Each of these countries attempted to gain more territory to their independent country.
(v) The Balkans became a scene of big power rivalry. Major European powers – Russia, Germany,
England, Austro-Hungary, manipulated nationalist aspirants to further their own aims. There was rivalry between the European powers over trade and colonies and naval and military superiority.
(vi) There was rivalry among the big powers to counter the hold of other powers over the Balkan region and extending their own control.