What is it about the Balkans that generates so much interest from countries outside the region?
There reason is that there's so much hatred in the Balkans. From what I gathered from my first 13 years I lived there is that every country has at least one mortal enemy.
Croatia vs. Serbia
Croatia vs. Bosnia(the Serbian part)
Albania vs. Serbia
Albania vs. FYROM
Albania vs. Greece(to a lesser extent)
Greece vs. FYROM
Greece vs. Turkey
Greece vs. Bulgaria
Romania vs. Hungary
Romania vs. Moldova
Serbia vs. Kosova
Serbia vs Bosnia(the Croatian side)

All these countries have reason to start wars with each other to this very day. That's what makes it interesting.