EU funds Kosovo youth to study abroad

Present at this debate was the chief of the EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, who said it is a good opportunity to advance young people.

And since I'm from the region, I'm from Bulgaria a few years ago, and I've also benefited from such a scholarship, where I've had the best opportunity to go to Switzerland, London and visit many places, and here I am. The road is ahead if I don't have this opportunity, I can say it's a very good chance, because you all know how much it costs to all of you in London or Berlin, or wherever you are. This is a protracted hand of the European community”, she said.

In addition, Apostolova said the applicant selection process is very transparent, and it is not done by Kosovo institutions.

The selection procedures are extremely transparent, and not by your institution, and I can say thank God, not just for Kosovo, but anywhere in the world. We bring in people who are experts, real professionals. People who make choices, everybody knows what criteria are, and I'm very happy. We want to infiltrate everyone, every layer of society, the unciphered people, to offer opportunities, minority people, who are not equal to brothers and sisters”, Apostolova said.

This scheme said it is the best instrument to change public administration in Kosovo, for which according to it the EU has the greatest support in rule of law, and justice reforms.

Leonita Shabani, who is the beneficiary of this scholarship, said it has been a difficult time, however, according to her, this was the new possibility, which has helped them advance academically.

The goal was to analyze a new opportunity, to apply somewhere for a scholarship, which would enable me to advance my academic progress abroad. I just missed being a European Union student. I wanted to have the prospect of being an EU student, and here the idea of applying the scheme of young professionals... The process has been extremely fair, transparent and ultimately based on individual merits, which we have shown during this selection process. And it's just been very competitive, I've won the scholarship and I've continued my studies at Berlin”, she added.

She has urged all women, women, to define their dream clearly, because according to her, women do not have the right support to do so.

Even Adil Bytyqi, the beneficiary of this scholarship, said his aim was to at least end the master in EU states.

I am very happy to have benefited from two EU projects, one of Erasmus' programmes, and a stock exchange, which is only for Kosovo. After returning from Holland, I was employed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry because my studies were for trade and intellectual ownership. And my studies have had a huge impact on my professional development... during the time I stayed in the Ministry of Trade and Industry I have worked intellectually, in support of businesses, then I was Kosovo's representative in trade negotiations in the CEFTA service”, he said.

Bytyqi has encouraged young students to learn foreign languages in order to prepare for application in the “Yung Cell” scheme.

Egzon Osmanaj, also a beneficiary of this scholarship, said he completed the master in Great Britain, and that Kosovar students in all directions have been almost the best students.

In addition, Osmanaj in this debate said that after returning from there, he has put the experience into place, working in the Ministry of Justice, and other practices in the Kosovo Assembly on topics of dialogue.