the region's political situation. In this work, Perić elaborates on the complex historical and geopolitical relationships between the Balkan states—such as Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece—and the Ottoman Empire, which had been perceived as a declining power. Through an analysis of national aspirations within the context of Ottoman control, he argues that a confederation would require the Christian Balkan nations to suppress their own national aspirations to unite with the oppressive Ottoman state. Perić is highly skeptical of such a confederation, suggesting that it would merely legitimize Ottoman dominance and stifle the growing nationalism among the Balkan people. In essence, the book presents a critical viewpoint on the challenges of achieving unity in the Balkans while highlighting the greater struggle for identity and autonomy against a backdrop of imperialism. (This is an automatically generated summary.)