Administering Kosovo in the year following its secession from Serbia has been a challenge for the EU, with lawlessness undermining economic progress. That the EU is divided about Kosovo doesn't help either. Kosovo celebrates its first anniversary of political independence from Serbia on Tuesday February 17, but reports of the mini-state's success as a sovereign nation have been dismal. The belief by many that independence would quickly put an end to the country's extreme poverty and misery has evaporated among its mainly ethnic Albanian population. With the moribund economy still dependent on substantial foreign capital, nearly half of the workforce is unemployed and many Kosovo Albanians barely survive on remittances from relatives working in the European Union. In spite of billions of euros that have been pumped into Kosovo since the end of the war a decade ago, the country's infrastructure and public roads are in need of repair.
Kosovo celebrates its first anniversary of political independence from Serbia on Tuesday February 17, but reports of the mini-state's success as a sovereign nation have been dismal.
The belief by many that independence would quickly put an end to the country's extreme poverty and misery has evaporated among its mainly ethnic Albanian population.
With the moribund economy still dependent on substantial foreign capital, nearly half of the workforce is unemployed and many Kosovo Albanians barely survive on remittances from relatives working in the European Union.
In spite of billions of euros that have been pumped into Kosovo since the end of the war a decade ago, the country's infrastructure and public roads are in need of repair.
Independence day marked by fears for Europe's poorest statehe footballers shouted and cheered in Albanian as they passed the ball around a wet, slippery pitch on a rainy winter's night in Brussels. Belgium is home to one of the largest communities of Kosovar Albanians in Europe and until now, its 40,000 migrants have played a vital role in helping to prop up Kosovo's fragile economy, regularly sending back money to feed and house their families. But as it celebrates one year of independence today, fears are being raised about the future stability of the tiny Balkan country. Its prospects are being overshadowed by a dire economy that is getting shakier as revenues from the one-million strong diaspora dotted around Europe dries up. "It's getting harder for me to send money back home to my dad, even though I know he can't manage without it. He lost everything overnight during the war. But I also have my own family here in Belgium now and we have our own job worries," said Ciprim Hamzaj, a trainer with FC Kosova.
he footballers shouted and cheered in Albanian as they passed the ball around a wet, slippery pitch on a rainy winter's night in Brussels. Belgium is home to one of the largest communities of Kosovar Albanians in Europe and until now, its 40,000 migrants have played a vital role in helping to prop up Kosovo's fragile economy, regularly sending back money to feed and house their families.
But as it celebrates one year of independence today, fears are being raised about the future stability of the tiny Balkan country. Its prospects are being overshadowed by a dire economy that is getting shakier as revenues from the one-million strong diaspora dotted around Europe dries up.
"It's getting harder for me to send money back home to my dad, even though I know he can't manage without it. He lost everything overnight during the war. But I also have my own family here in Belgium now and we have our own job worries," said Ciprim Hamzaj, a trainer with FC Kosova.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - One year after its declaration of independence, Kosovo has surprised observers by remaining stable but it has yet to tackle the profound reforms it needs to make it a viable state. When it unilaterally seceded from Serbia on 17 February 2008, many voiced fears about the future of the young state and about possible outbursts of violence between Kosovo's Albanian majority and its minority Serb population, loyal to Belgrade. Kosovo proclaimed independence on 17 February 2008 This is why "the stability that was preserved" is undisputedly Kosovo's main achievement during this one year, Ilir Dugolli, Kosovo's envoy in Brussels, told EUobserver. "We have to go back more than a year ago and think about all the warnings that were coming ahead of the declaration of independence. That it would be a criminal state, a state that cannot sustain itself, or that there were going to be waves of refugees, expelled [Kosovo] Serbs and so on," Mr Dugolli said, highlighting the contrast between those "dire scenarios" and the reality on the ground.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - One year after its declaration of independence, Kosovo has surprised observers by remaining stable but it has yet to tackle the profound reforms it needs to make it a viable state.
When it unilaterally seceded from Serbia on 17 February 2008, many voiced fears about the future of the young state and about possible outbursts of violence between Kosovo's Albanian majority and its minority Serb population, loyal to Belgrade.
Kosovo proclaimed independence on 17 February 2008
This is why "the stability that was preserved" is undisputedly Kosovo's main achievement during this one year, Ilir Dugolli, Kosovo's envoy in Brussels, told EUobserver.
"We have to go back more than a year ago and think about all the warnings that were coming ahead of the declaration of independence. That it would be a criminal state, a state that cannot sustain itself, or that there were going to be waves of refugees, expelled [Kosovo] Serbs and so on," Mr Dugolli said, highlighting the contrast between those "dire scenarios" and the reality on the ground.
