The Council of Europe has both the opportunity and obligation to provide much-needed momentum to an international investigation into the serious allegations made by Dick Marty against Hashim Thaci and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).

Solutions to the problems facing the region – particularly that of Kosovo’s disputed status – require that the international community cease actively supporting one side over the other and instead pursue a more balanced approach.

Instead of focusing on the old habit of ‘nationalism’ and ‘national interest’, Serbia needs to define its future position regionally and globally, particularly with respect to EU integration, Kosovo and Bosnia.

Recent events, particularly a municipal-level disagreement between the two ruling parties and the resignation of prime minister Đukanović, are indicative of the new elements at play in Montenegrin politics.

Given the spate of bad news emerging from Kosovo in recent weeks, the only way forward is for the international community to again attempt to achieve a political solution, this time with Belgrade directly.

Imajući u vidu bujicu loših vesti koje tokom poslednjih nedelja pristižu sa Kosova, jedini put napred je ponovni pokušaj međunarodne zajednice da ostvari političko rešenje, ovoga puta direktno sa Beogradom.

Though the prospect of EU candidate status spurred on some very real changes in the region in 2010 – particularly concerning regional co-operation and tackling corruption – several scandals, especially those in Kosovo, threaten to inhibit further progress.

This article focuses on drawing some conclusions from the South Serbia experience that could be applied more generally to area-based development programming in conflict-affected regions.