Blerim Shala, former deputy leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo and current coordinator in the dialogue between Pristina and e Belgrade,  writes that states and societies, just as individuals and families, can reach a situation when they need an event to regain their dignity, and self-confidence, an event which could be later used as a source to move forward, and mobilize political and social power to improve themselves.

Shala here mentions Germany’s victory on the football World Cup in 1954, as a turning point. “Kosovo Albanians, even though under completely different circumstances, and coming out as winners from a serious and tragic history, need this sobering up, a turning point of this kind, because the recent flux of emigration proved that Kosovo society has faded the historical momentum created with gaining of the statehood in 2008,” writes Shala.

He considers that no one should be surprised with the gathering of the people in a greater number than for some political event on the day when Pristina Basketball Club won the Balkans Cup. “And there is nothing wrong with this. Sports could be an infusion to the efforts of Kosovo society to re-find itself and return the dynamic of hope and self-confidence, without which we would not be able to liberate in 1999 or become a state in 2008,” he notes.

This year can bring other news for Kosovo society, another momentum of great value that would enable Kosovo to catch the pace: visa liberalization. Due to the massive exodus, the first three months of this year lost Kosovars’ hope on visa liberalization however, things took a positive turn during the last weeks, and there are clear signs of a general political mobilization to organize work of the Government and the Assembly in order for Kosovo to fulfill the criteria by June of this year.

Shala further writes about the need for a consensus of Kosovo’s political scene to coordinate on implementation of technical criteria, adding that a diplomatic campaign is unavoidable in order to gain the support of the EU member states. The issue of gaining the right to travel freely in the EU, should be the agenda of Kosovo state, and all political factors. Kosovo citizens deserve this good news by the end of this year,” concludes Shala.