Ha ha ha!

Serbia has been shoved to the top of the diplomatic rubbish-heap by the Russian Foreign Ministry when it comes to issuing extra money for hardship postings!

This piece by RFE/RL notes that Serbia with Kosovo (sic) is now in the same category as Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Georgia, Abhazija (sic), Tajikistan, Chad, Israel and Guatemala. Russian diplomats get extra money - a 20% pay uplift - for the additional stress of working in such ghastly places!

The reason given is that Serbia is a greater conflict risk because of Kosovo. Serbia's Foreign Minister is quoted as complaining that Serbia can not be placed at 'this level', whatever its difficulties might be.

Quite right! Given the gushing reception which greets Russian diplomats in Belgrade, they should jolly well take a pay CUT for the sheer pleasure of going there.

Of course, say the Russians, this is not a 'political' decision. Yet as we know, in wily Russian diplomacy nothing is linked - but everything is linked...