The parliamentary elections on the 17th November saw victory for those in favour of secession from Serbia. It is likely that with effect from the 10th December Kosovo will unilaterally declare its independence. What will the consequences of this decision be for the region? The Kosovars see no other alternative. Serbia considers independence to be inadmissible, and has the support of Russia. The international community is divided. And so is Europe, which urges caution but risks proving itself once again to be impotent in the face of crisis in the Balkans. Yet now more than ever there would seem to be a need for an inequivocal stance.