a tense political situation

Today is the first anniversary of Kosovo's independence. Kosovo, originally a part of Serbia and an enormous part of Serb history and folklore, was populated primarily by ethnic Albanians who didn't want to be a minority in the greater Serb state. Serbia does not recognise the Kosovan state and the atmosphere in the region is strained.

Kosovo doesn't border Bosnia but there are a number of ramifications. Bosnia is split into 2 entities, one of which, the Republika Srpska known as the RS, is primarily populated by Bosnian Serbs. Ultimately, the RS would like to gain independence of its own, creating a separate Bosnian Serb state. The Bosnian Serb politicians see similarities between Kosovo and the RS and continue to push for RS independence, most recently opening a representative office in the EU to the fury of other Bosnian politicians.

It is no surprise that the first anniversary of Kosovan independence should see the head of the Bosnian Serb state calling for greater independence and increased separation from the overall Bosnian state (see article here). It makes an already tense political situation worse, bringing about one of the worst political crises since the end of the war in 1995.