For the dankest of all memes
Italy, Romania and (most of) Turkey aren't even in the Balkans.
Actually☝️, there's a tiny part of Italy known as Trieste that's in the Balkans, so that technically makes Italy a Balkan country, and also European part of Turkey. Romania is definitely in the Balkans, I think you mixed it up with Hungary. This is the most generally accepted map:
It's counted along the Kupa, Sava and Danube rivers, and the Trieste and even Slovenia are excluded. Same with half of Serbia and Croatia. Romania is in a small Dobruja part that is south of Danube. But i guess Balkans are some kind of stigma forever branding everything touching it as Balkans. Poland avoided it narrowly by letting go of the southern ambitions lol.
Austria, Hungary and Slovakia should definitely count as honorary Balkans.
Slovakia is rehabilitating itself lately, but agree about Austria, especially with Hungary distant gott erhalte singing in the background
If Yugoslavia took Carinthia after WW2 then a part of Austria would definitely be part of Balkans lmao.
I noticed that somehow all of the "what if" good scenarios in central Europe always ultimately coming back to Premysl Ottokar II not losing.
I feel like Romania counts, Hungary on the other hand would make a very dubious contender. Turkey should count, since there are more Turks living in the Turkish part of the Balkans than the every other Balkan country population combined.
not until they're balkanized!
They aren't in the Balkans yet
free trip to Balkans for your entire country.