Kosovo has declared its independence from Serbia. Now it's going to have to figure out what to do with itself and that ain't gonna be easy.
Kosovo begins life as an economic disaster. It's not only the poorest remnant of the former Yugoslavia, it's getting poorer by the day. Here's an insight from Business Week published back in 2004 that remains disturbingly current:
"The massive U.N. presence in Kosovo has created an artificial bubble in Pristina and a few other spots scattered around the province, while the rest of the economy languishes. Foreign investment is practically nil, unemployment runs as high as 70% in some areas, and imports are outpacing exports by 26 to 1. And now the Kosovar economy is starting to slow, from 4.3% growth last year to an expected 4% this year, as the U.N. scales back its presence and as international donors withdraw. Of the $2.9 billion in aid committed, only $2.2 billion has materialized.
It's easy to blame the U.N. for mismanaging the reconstruction. But long before the international community came to town, Kosovo was already mired in poverty. Back in the days when Yugoslavia was still a country, Kosovo consumed 80% of the total federal development aid.
With a per capita income of $1,100 a year, Kosovo is by some estimates the poorest province in Europe.In many ways, Kosovo looks doomed to failure. It is landlocked, with crumbling infrastructure and hopelessly outdated factories. But perhaps Kosovo's biggest problem is demographics. Its population, which is 90% ethnic Albanians, has tripled in the past five decades. In addition to being the fastest-growing population in Europe, it's also the youngest. More than half of its citizens are under 24, and almost one-third are under 15."
Updated information from Wikipedia is hardly more optimistic. While per capita income has increased modestly, Kosovo's trade deficit stands at a staggering 70% of GDP. The country's strongest economic sector seems to be its thriving black market where smuggled cigarettes, gasoline and cement are key commodities. The country has a well-corrupted government and an abundance of criminal gangs.
For Europe's first Muslim country it's not an auspicious start but it's nonetheless "Mission Accomplished."
Kosovo begins life as an economic disaster. It's not only the poorest remnant of the former Yugoslavia, it's getting poorer by the day. Here's an insight from Business Week published back in 2004 that remains disturbingly current:
"The massive U.N. presence in Kosovo has created an artificial bubble in Pristina and a few other spots scattered around the province, while the rest of the economy languishes. Foreign investment is practically nil, unemployment runs as high as 70% in some areas, and imports are outpacing exports by 26 to 1. And now the Kosovar economy is starting to slow, from 4.3% growth last year to an expected 4% this year, as the U.N. scales back its presence and as international donors withdraw. Of the $2.9 billion in aid committed, only $2.2 billion has materialized.
It's easy to blame the U.N. for mismanaging the reconstruction. But long before the international community came to town, Kosovo was already mired in poverty. Back in the days when Yugoslavia was still a country, Kosovo consumed 80% of the total federal development aid.
With a per capita income of $1,100 a year, Kosovo is by some estimates the poorest province in Europe.In many ways, Kosovo looks doomed to failure. It is landlocked, with crumbling infrastructure and hopelessly outdated factories. But perhaps Kosovo's biggest problem is demographics. Its population, which is 90% ethnic Albanians, has tripled in the past five decades. In addition to being the fastest-growing population in Europe, it's also the youngest. More than half of its citizens are under 24, and almost one-third are under 15."
Updated information from Wikipedia is hardly more optimistic. While per capita income has increased modestly, Kosovo's trade deficit stands at a staggering 70% of GDP. The country's strongest economic sector seems to be its thriving black market where smuggled cigarettes, gasoline and cement are key commodities. The country has a well-corrupted government and an abundance of criminal gangs.
For Europe's first Muslim country it's not an auspicious start but it's nonetheless "Mission Accomplished."
7 comments:
There are many countries in the world that are the same as Kosovo.
Smartypants, the country is only a day old and your bitching about the fact they're a poor nation.
Let me guess, you're surprised that the country isn't a mirror image of Canada.
Or are you trying to downplay the fact that the USA saved the muslims from being destroyed?
There you go again trying to bash America.
A liberal's favorite past-time.
"Mission Accomplished." proves my point.
By the way, do you enjoy all the American T.V shows you watch everyday, or the sports, or the movies...etc...etc...or the clothes you wear, or the food you eat, 99 percent which is American made?
You have to remember one thing here smartypants, Canada without the USA would look just like Kosovo.
And you know it.
The USA can get their oil elsewhere.
Canada has noone else to sell to.
Got that you jealous little smartypants.
I don't quite understand your latest tirade Jonny. Yes there are other failed states, Afghanistan for example, but there's yet to be one in Europe. Kosovo stands alone in that regard.
As to Kosovo's economy, it didn't get there in one day. It was well and truly in the crapper long before Yugoslavia dissolved. Now it gets to be an independent failure that will fairly soon turn dependent on some other state.
This isn't bashing America or Britain or NATO.
"Canada without the USA would look just like Kosovo"? Try not to sound so profoundly ignorant, chum. You're laughable.
You know pal, it's not America that I'm against just the wilfully ignorant, boorishly arrogant part of it - the sort you like.
I suspect Kosovo will apply for EU membership soon as that seems to be the only hope in the long-run. Off course it is probably at least 10 years if not more away from even being considered for admission to the EU, never mind I really wonder if many of the EU countries supporting Kosovo independence would support it joining the EU, since one of the fundamental rights of being an EU citizen is the right to live and work anywhere in the union and I somehow suspect a lot would move elsewhere if given the opportunity and I am not sure countries like Germany, Britain, and France are keen on being flooded with people from Kosovo.
I think you're right Miles. Kosovo will have to apply for EU membership if only to sort out its unemployment problem. I don't know how difficult it will be for it to rectify its corruption and crime problems. In a way they've become ingrained while the state has been under NATO protection. The young population will have a lot of expectations that their government will struggle to fulfill. It's tough when you're starting off as a borderline failed state.
Cheers
Fuck you who says something bad for KOSOVA THE NEWEST STATE IN THE WORLD
And that flag the isnt kosovos flag click on this link to see kosovos flag : http://i29.tinypic.com/v6j4mp.jpg
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