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Merkel to visit Balkans amid Greek crisis

German Chancellor Angela Merkel listens to questions during a final media conference after an emergency summit of eurozone heads of state and government at the EU Council building in Brussels on Tuesday, July 7, 2015. EU leaders have called for a full EU summit to take place on Sunday, July 12, 2015 to continue discussion on the Greek crisis. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) German Chancellor Angela Merkel listens to questions during a final media conference after an emergency summit of eurozone heads of state and government at the EU Council building in Brussels on Tuesday, July 7, 2015. EU leaders have called for a full EU summit to take place on Sunday, July 12, 2015 to continue discussion on the Greek crisis. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

By Associated Press July 8, 2015 1 min read

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) – Angela Merkel begins a two-day tour of the Balkans on Wednesday, visiting three countries whose ambitions to join the European Union have been complicated by the Greek crisis and their mutual rivalries.

The German chancellor – who is the most influential, respected and feared Western politician in the Balkans – plans to visit Albania, Serbia and Bosnia.

All three states have a declared desire to join the EU, but in the wake of the Greek bailout turmoil Merkel and other EU leaders are likely to create tougher conditions for accepting countries with troubled economies.