[Chosen One]

If you look at a map of the world, you will notice that the Balkans is the most divided/fragmented place on the entire planet in terms of so many countries and borders within a (relatively) small geographic space. Additionally, a lot of these divided countries include ethnic groups that are descended from or very closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring countries.

(Note: I am including Romania, Moldova, and Cyprus as part of the Balkans--I know this is controversial but they fit in culturally and ethnically).

Balkan Countries:
- Moldova
- Romania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Cyprus
- Turkey
- Macedonia
- Serbia
- Kosovo
- Albania
- Montenegro
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Croatia

Balkan Ethnic Groups:
- Romanians and Moldovans (ethnic "Moldovans" were traditionally Romanian/Vlach and basically speak the same language)
- Bulgarians and Macedonians (ethnic "Macedonians" were traditionally Bulgarian before the Balkan Wars and the languages are mutually intelligible, based on two dialects of the same Southeast Slavic continuum)
- Greece and Cypriots (Cypriots identify as Greek, except the Turks who occupy the northern third)
- Albanians and Kosovars (most Kosovars identify as Albanian--there is also a major Albanian minority in Macedonia)
- Serbs, Bosnian Serbs, and Montenegrins (ethnic "Montenegrins" are basically Serbs, and the language is basically the same with Montenegrin nationalists trying to make up new differences)
- Bosniaks (the only Slavic ethnic group that is predominantly Muslim)
- Croats and Bosnian Croats (both Roman Catholic)

I am completely aware of the political situation in the Balkans and how messed up it is, and I know unification is currently a ridiculous pipedream. But I wonder if some day (maybe in 100 years?) the Balkans can become more united instead of divided, fragmented, and weak. All these small countries that are divided keep the region at the mercy of superpowers (Russia, EU, USA, Turkey, etc.) with special interests.

If that could ever happen, and yes I know this is completely wishful thinking, I think:

- Moldova should unite with Romania, except for Transnistria
- Macedonia should unite with Bulgaria, except for the western parts that are Albanian-majority
- Cyprus should unite with Greece (don't know what to do about the illegal Turkish-controlled part)
- Kosovo and the Albanian-majority parts of Macedonia should unite with Albania (sorry Serbia, I know Kosovo is vital to your history, but you're not going to be able to get rid of the Albanians there, and other countries have important historical places that are outside of their borders)
- Montenegro and Republika Srpska (except for the parts that are too gerrymandered with Bosniak and Croat populations) should unite with Serbia
- The Bosnian Croats who live on the Adriatic should unite with Croatia
- The Bosniaks can retain a smaller, independent Bosnia in the central region of the current "Bosnia & Herzegovina" with Sarajevo still as their capital

Remaining Countries:
Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia
Remaining Capitals:
Bucharest, Sofia, Athens, Ankara, Tirana, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Zagreb