A struggeling 2-year old

How I wish I could have been in Prishtina three days ago. The Republic of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia February 17th 2008, 9 years after the NATO bombing campaign that drove Serbian military forces out of Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, and by that stopped the killing of ethnic Albanians. Two years ago, state after state recognized the newborn country as Kosovars danced in the streets of Prishtina. So far, 65 countries have recognized Kosovo.

The amount of recognizing states has slowed down since. The 127 UN member states choosing not to recognize the Republic of Kosovo are probably waiting with their decision until the International Court of Justice, the hightest court within the United Nations, announces the verdict on the validity of the decelaration of independence.

Reuters reported on February 16th that Western countries wants Kosovo to stop relying on donors and instead “take more resolute steps to fight poverty, crime and corruption”. The road towards independence was long and the road ahead is not easy either. Kosovo, a country of 2 million people, most of which are ethnic Albanians, is one of Europe’s poorest countries and has received 4 million euros in aid since the Kosovo war ended in 1999.

15% of GDP is donor help and exports cover only 10% of imports. The annual per capita income is 1.760 euros. The EU average is 24.000 euros. Foreign investors hesitate to invest in Kosovo because of the tensions between the Albanian majority and the Serbian minority. Although around 10.000 NATO military troops and 2.000 police and judges from the EU are present in Kosovo, the country continues to be a place for organized crime activities and corruption.

The key to developing Kosovo is by focusing more on the young population. I met so many people my age last summer, keen to learn, keen to explore, keen to experience, keen to develop their country. A huge amount of young people is walking around, wanting to help and contribute. But with 45% of the population living in poverty and 40% of the population being unemployed, being able to afford an education is hard. Non-governmental organizations based in Kosovo and international organizations that don’t just give money but give educational aid in the form of educational material, organizing of summer schools, scholarships etc are crucial for the development of Kosovo.

How I wish I could have been in Prishtina three days ago. I would have danced in the streets, together with my fellow young Europeans, who should have the right to an education and the possibility to travel freely just as much as me.

Photo courtesy: Al Jazeera.