The countries of the Balkan region have been used and abused by every major power since recorded time began. Currently, they are taking a break from beating up on each other while trying to join the EU and NATO.
I decided that COVID-wise they are not more dangerous than my hometown and took the opportunity to visit. I can confidently say that the only shots fired were in the form of wasted paper forms by governments when I crossed the borders in and out of the Balkan region.
We were one of the first groups back into the region from the US, though there were plenty from neighboring countries. It was definitely an adventure and I got turned down for boarding my flight into Serbia because my negative COVID test was an antigen test, not a PCR.
But, as I like to say, if I wanted guarantees that nothing would go wrong, I’d stay home on the couch or a cruise ship.