Muslim groups in the Balkans speak various languages and live in several countries. These
countries followed diff erent paths of development in the 20th century so the followers
of Islam were repeatedly involved in social conflicts because of their diff erent culture.
Due to Albania’s isolation for decades rooted in socialism, the dissolution of Yugoslavia
through bloody conflicts in the 1990s, the EU membership of Greece reaching back some
decades, the new EU membership of Romania and Bulgaria and the unique geopolitical
and social circumstances in Turkey the countries inhabited by the majority of Muslims
will probably take diff erent paths in economic and social development. The generally
marginalised social and economic status of Muslims in the countries examined and their
frequently deviating demographic behaviour compared to neighbouring ethnic groups
are expected to widen the gap between them and majority societies. Due to their delayed
political integration and increasing diffi culties in social integration they will probably
remain destabilising factors.