Travellers heading to and through Kosovo should bear in mind that there is still some tension between Serbia and its southern neighbour. Serb communities in northern Kosovo still look very much to Belgrade rather than Prishtinë to solve their problems. Over recent weeks, a proposal mediated by the EU to create an Association of Serb Municipalities (ASM) within Kosovo has become a flashpoint for violence. The Albanian majority fear that ASM may evolve into a political ‘entity’ — along the lines of the constituent entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Visitors to Kosovo over the coming months should therefore keep an eye on the situation, particularly before heading north from the capital into the Ibar Valley area. Most visits to Kosovo are of course entirely trouble-free. But throughout the country, visitors should take care. In mid- February, there were major demonstrations in Prishtinë with opposition calls for the territory’s government to resign.