Kosovo - Ten years of Independence
Ten years ago Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. Recently, celebrations marked the 10th anniversary of the new state as thousands of people marched the streets of its capital, Pristina.
However, not all countries in the world have recognised Kosovo as an independent state. While the US and Great Britain have been its staunchest supporters, China, Russia and a few EU nations still consider Kosovo as a part of Serbia. It is not yet been able to join the United Nations.
The Balkan state has a population of 1.8 million. 90% are ethnic Albanians, 120 000 live as a Serb minority in Kosovo.
Over 13,000 people died and a million were displaced in the Kosovo War between 1998 and 1999 - a conflict in which Kosovo rebels tried to free themselves from Serbia. Serb troops pulled out of Kosovo after intensive NATO bombing. After the war, the area was put under UN administration in which NATO supervised a peace-keeping force.
Ten years after the declaration of independence, there are still tensions between Serbia and Kosovo. Many Serbs see Kosovo as the heart of their nation, because of the important historic sites located there. The European Union has pointed out that Serbia must normalise its relations with Kosovo if it wants to become an EU member. On the other side, Kosovo must also grant Serbs living in their country a certain degree of autonomy.
The young state faces many problems. Kosovo has a young population but cannot create enough jobs, leaving 60% of its youth unemployed. Many are well-educated and speak several languages but fail to see any perspectives for their future. Almost 200,000 Kosovars have left the country in the last decade. In addition, corruption is widespread and war crimes are unresolved.
