Kosovo Marks Five Years Of Independence

Members of Kosovo's state song and dance ensemble "Shota" perform at the national theatre in Pristina as part of celebrations to mark the fifth anniversary of the country's unilateral declaration of independence.

Kosovo is marking five years since unilaterally declaring independence from Serbia.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership is planning several events to commemorate the occasion on February 17, including a march by its NATO-trained security force through the capital, Pristina.

Belgrade refuses to recognize the independence of Kosovo and Pristina refuses to grant autonomy to the Serbs living in northern Kosovo.

Five years after declaring independence, Kosovo is one of Europe's poorest countries.

Over a third of Kosovo's 1.8 million people live on less than a dollar a day and per capita gross domestic product is one of the lowest in Europe at 2,600 euros, or $3,500 a year, according to the World Bank.

Pristina has struggled to tackle organized crime and corruption, according to the EU, and unemployment stands at 40 percent.

Based on reporting by AFP and AP