Practicing and studying criminal law could be a stressful and dangerous job. Not many people can handle the pressure. Yet those who love the challenge work hard to accomplish their duties successfully. Furtuna Sheremeti is one of the latter.

Currently she is polishing her legal skills at the University of Oxford, where she is completing masters in Criminology and Criminal Science. She is also the vice-president of events of the Graduate Common Room at Green Templeton at her College.

Sheremeti has been interested in law, since early on, starting her legal career as a human rights activist within the Youth Initiative for Human Rights. She then continued to work in Aba Roli - American Bar Association, where she has been engaged in a project focused on legal system reform in Kosovo.

Following an engagement at USAID projects focused on judiciary, Furtuna started working for Sejdiu & Qerkini, a local law firm in Pristina, as a trial strategy specialist. "I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with people with whom I worked. This enabled me to grow professionally", Furtuna points out. Not that she is without her own merits, having herself delivered the first case to the Constitutional Court when she was only 23 years old.

Injustice and inequality is what keeps Furtuna motivated. As strong believer that her own example will encourage more Kosovar women to practice in the criminal field, she says: "equal gender rights means accepting and respecting our differences, and only then can a society truly be equal".

According to Sheremeti, justice system in Kosovo is in need of a radical overhaul. "Not only should we work more, but that work needs to be re-channeled completely. Reforms folded over reforms do not help," she says, quickly pointing out that since Kosovo judiciary cannot afford radical changes at the moment, one has to work the best with what one's got at the moment.

"I personally think that the prosecution has an urgent need for investment in people and tools. Additionally, the new Law on Courts which came into force in January 2013 despite putting an extra burden on the system- has yet to improve situation on the ground", stressed Furtuna.

However, an ultimate condition has to be met, according to Furtuna, in order to improve judiciary and that is to get rid of political influence. "Unless this happens - progress will be very difficult to achieve," she concluded.

Despite justice, writing has always been Furtuna's passion as well. "I always thought I would become a writer or linguist, but I realized that these professions do not fulfill my need to explore," she explains. The second option for Furtuna was astronomy. The Universe and the unknown has always fascinated and intrigued her. But in the end she chose the third option, which she had always had on the list – justice.

"The third one was the true one I guess," she laughs. But now that she has spent some time on this road, she is very happy of the choice she made.

With two published books in her biography, it cannot be said that Furtuna has abandoned writing for good. "I like writing fiction from time to time, it helps me to express my feelings and it is the only way to stop me from screaming from time to time", she says.

With her father, who died when she was only 5 years old, Furtuna has learned to appreciate even the smallest things in life. Her mother, sister and brother took care for her to never miss anything - so she considers herself very lucky, despite all that she has been through.
Numerous seminars, travels around the world and established contacts during the years are what have made Furtuna who she is today. She is a woman unafraid of anything and ready to face challenges.

"It has not been easy," she remembers when climbing her career ladder. "Nor will be easy from now on." But with determination and hard work - the challenges cease to be a factor.

"Despite the fact that Kosovo has yet to improve in justice area, I am confident that things will change." She strongly believes that everyone should be able to live their dreams despite all the difficulties put on their ways. "Do not fold your dreams in the drawer. Make them reality. Only thus you can be yourself, and when you are - everything else is easier."