Relations between Serbia and Montenegro have soured again, this time over a single Serbian journalist. The editor-in-chief of a well-known Serbian outlet has been placed on Montenegro's list of people banned from entry, and Belgrade immediately announced reciprocal measures. A diplomatic spat between two neighbours who until recently shared the same country.

According to Montenegrin sources, the ban was imposed over alleged hate speech against Montenegro and Montenegrins, supposedly delivered at a summit in Tivat. The trigger was an incident in which Montenegrin services turned back a plane carrying 87 Serbian citizens. The journalist rejected the accusation: „I wasn't at the summit in Tivat and I wasn't in Montenegro, so how could I have spoken during the summit?"

Belgrade did not stay silent. From the Serbian side came word that Montenegrin officials too could end up on a similar entry-ban list - a classic „eye for an eye" move that in diplomacy rarely solves anything and often only deepens the rift. Both sides are playing on a field where every measure pulls a countermeasure behind it.

For the Balkans this is a familiar story with new characters. Two countries bound by language, history and thousands of families living on both sides of the border are once again squabbling through bans and lists. The question that remains is whether moves like these really defend anyone's dignity - or simply make hostages of ordinary people, the ones who travel, work and have relatives across the border, hostages to political score-settling.