Written by: Hasan PRETENI
There are only a few days after we closed the chapter called 2008, and now we are in the new period - in 2009. If we think back about the challenges we faced during 2008, in relation to the fight against corruption, I would not demonstrate any disappointing pessimism. With continued faithful ally our citizen, Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency met several times during the year with the relentless and biased destroyer of democratic values of society and law and order striker – the corruption.
Intervention in silence to prevent the misuse of millions of euros of the citizens of Kosovo, the construction of the necessary legal infrastructure of this area, coming closer even physically to increase the awareness of citizens for the importance to join in the fight against corruption, are some of the points that give us courage to believe that by 2009 we will be much more powerful against the corruption.
Of course there are rumours that would say that it is impossible to eradicate corruption in Kosovo, because it is part of our society. Although there may be a counter opinion, I think - Yes! It is possible that corruption, if not to disappear completely, because such a thing has not been achieved even in the most advanced countries, however, be reduced in extent, so that it remains a microbe, which is naught without the power to hurt. At least, this is to strengthen the fight against it through a strong belief in them. If you start with the opposite of this belief, then we have no way out, but only to obey and live with it. However, I do not believe that such thing will happen, because the society wants to develop Kosovo to move forward, and in no way remain a watchful "owl" that desperately looks different clans, being enriched with public money.
Year 2009 will have increased attention by the European Commission for the Western Balkans. No doubt that the fight against corruption is the culminating point of this monitoring mechanism that will watch the progress of the new state which must be reached. Kosovo must be very attentive, because if a country is considered corrupted, the effects of foreign investment interest will be zero.
If Kosovo society has a feeling that corruption is living with us every day of the year, then at least if in a few months we have months of fight against it, we will have made it possible to begin the process of change in people's minds, that corruption must be combated and eliminated.
Therefore, I encourage everyone, as institutional leaders, those from opposition, civil society, media, etc., that despite differences in opinion on various issues, at least, in the fight against corruption that we have begun let them join us without reservation. This is due to the fact that success will be visible. Progress will replace poverty in the country, economic development will undo the informal economy, and there will be an increase of the moral valuesof society and the prospects for our children.
(This column was published in the Koha Ditore on 6 January 2009)
