It’s been five months since Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia - an act that sparked violence between ethnic Albanians and Serbs in the country, and touched off a diplomatic tiff between Russia and the West.

The dust has yet to settle, but Kosovo is forging ahead. This week, the young breakaway republic began accepting passport applications from its citizens, and according to the BBC, demand is high.

There’s no word, though, on whether those countries that have not yet recognized Kosovar independence - namely, Russia and Serbia - will be honouring the travel documents.

Oh, and in case you can’t read it in the photo: the girl’s t-shirt reads, “Independence is better than having electricity.”

Photo by Shkumbin (Creative Commons)

Eva Holland

Eva Holland is a historical researcher and freelance writer based in Ottawa, Canada. She is a blogger for World Hum and for Rolf Potts Vagablogging, and her travel writing has appeared in The Ottawa Citizen, and The Edmonton Journal.