I want my independence

After topping charts by being the first country to recognise the independence of Montenegro, Estonia has plummeted to somewhere only just inside the top ten with its rubber-stamped recognition today of the newborn Republic of Kosovo.

Commenting on this historic decision, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet gushed about the importance of the western Balkans in the security policy of the European Union, applauded the leaders of the breakaway region for upholding the Ahtisaari plan and writing the protection of minorities (i.e. the Serbs) and their cultural heritage into their declaration of independence, and promised that Estonia would play its role in any civic mission to the country.

What Paet failed to mention was the terrible repercussions recognising Kosovo's independence may bring for Estonia. Let's look at the most serious of these: the reception the Estonian entry is likely to receive at the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade in May. As if the situation wasn't desperate enough with the fan maffia in the front row promising to boo the 'joke entry' out of contention, Kreisiraadio will now have to face the wrath of the rest of the audience plus a hostile Serb media.

If only our politicians took in the bigger picture before making such rash decisions.

PS What are we thinking of the flag? It's all a bit too Bosnia for my liking.