Kosovo one step closer to membership in the Council of Europe

2023-04-25 08:08:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Kosovo one step closer to membership in the Council of Europe

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One year after Pristina's request, the Ministerial Committee of the Council of Europe approved Kosovo's request for membership in this mechanism, which includes 46 countries.

Two thirds of the members in the Ministerial Committee voted in favor of Kosovo's membership. The Ministerial Committee of the Council has now sent Kosovo's request for membership for discussion and voting to the General Assembly of the Council of Europe.

In an announcement, it is said that the decision also took into account the Brussels agreement of February 27, 2023 and the Ohrid agreement of March 18, 2023, reached in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue mediated by the European Union and the importance for all parties to implement them in appropriately and in good faith.

If Kosovo's request is supported in the General Assembly by two-thirds of the member countries, then it is recommended to the Committee of Ministers to invite Kosovo to become a full member of the Council of Europe. The Foreign Minister of Kosovo, Donika Gërvalla, said that "today's decision is a historic step, perhaps the most important after the independence of Kosovo", stressing that the process of joining the Council of Europe "is long and full of challenges".

Long process and full of challenges

The President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani said that today's vote to advance Kosovo's application for the Council of Europe towards the Parliamentary Assembly is not only a good day for human rights and democracy in Kosovo, but also an important moment for all of Europe.

"This is a step forward for Kosovo and its citizens, not only in terms of the international integration of our country, but above all for the advancement of the state of human rights, for all our citizens, without distinction," Vjosa said. Osmani.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, stated that "our country will be an added value for the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe will add value to democracy, human rights and the rule of law in our country".

Serbia will vote against

The Council of Europe is an international organization for human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe, founded in 1949. Kosovo submitted its application for membership in the Council of Europe in May 2022 shortly after Russia's expulsion from this organization, after the aggression in Ukraine. Serbia continues to oppose Kosovo's membership in this organization and President Aleksandër Vucic said that Serbia will vote against it./ DW