We live in interesting times. As this issue of hidden europe goes to press, there is every sign that Kosovo is gearing up to declare its independence from neighbouring Serbia. What happens in Kosovo will be watched with great interest by other quasi-states around the world. South Ossetia, a mountainous pocket of land between Russia and Georgia, is one of those would-be independent republics. We report from South Ossetia in hidden europe 20, which will be published on Friday 2 May. We shall also feature Montenegro, the Hungarian city of Pécs, the island of Helgoland, and we shall dig out one or two curiosities from northern England.