NATO: The Parliamentary Assembly decides today on the associated status of Kosovo

2024-05-27 09:32:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

NATO: The Parliamentary Assembly decides today on the associated status of

Illustrative photo

The Parliamentary Assembly of NATO, which is conducting three-day work in Sofia, Bulgaria, decides on Monday (27.05.) to advance the status of Kosovo from an observer country to an associate member country of this organization. Despite Serbia's opposition, the issue of advancing Kosovo's status in NATO has been included in the organization's agenda. It is officially announced that the deputies of the AP of NATO, among other things, "will decide on the requests of Malta and the Assembly of Kosovo to become delegations of associated members".

"Continuous challenges in the Western Balkans will be addressed, as well as strategies for supporting partners at risk and for increasing engagement with the Global South", says the communique of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. As early as March of this year, the Commission of Permanently, the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO has advanced the status of the Assembly of Kosovo in the alliance, while today it is finally voted on.

Serbia is committed against associate status

The delegation of the Parliament of Serbia headed by the Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, Ana Bërnabi?, who is participating in the meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, through a letter requested that Kosovo not be given the status of an associate member. Even the International Institute for Security in Serbia has called on the PA of NATO not to advance the status of Kosovo in this organization, arguing that "it would be harmful both to the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO and to the processes of stabilization and Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans". "The current nine associate members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly are from independent and internationally recognized countries and that giving the same status to the Assembly of Kosovo would be a dangerous precedent". says the International Security Institute based in Serbia.

NATO Parliamentary Assembly as a connecting bridge

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly, where Kosovo is expected to advance its status, is institutionally separate from NATO, but serves as an important link between NATO and the parliaments of member countries. The PA of NATO consists of 281 delegates from all 32 NATO member countries. Currently, nine countries are associated members in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, including Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Associate members may introduce resolutions and amendments to resolutions and may serve as associate special rapporteurs on committees to present their perspectives on NATO-Parliamentary Assembly reports. However, countries with associate status in the NATO PA do not have the right to vote on the Assembly's reports, resolutions or leadership, nor do they contribute to the organization's budget.

KFOR calls the report of the International Crisis Group incorrect

In Kosovo, there are currently about five thousand NATO troops, KFOR, who are responsible for maintaining peace and security. At the beginning of the proceedings of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, reporter Mark Lancaster presented parts of a report by the International Crisis Group, which states that "KFOR negotiated with the Banjska attackers" to flee to Serbia. In the attack on 24 September of last year, a sergeant of the Kosovo police was killed by a group of Serbs, while the responsibility for this attack was taken by Milan Radoicic, until then the vice-president of Lista Srpska, who now continues to remain free in Serbia.

The KFOR mission in Kosovo, through a communiqué, called the report of the International Crisis Group "inaccurate", part of which was included in the draft report, at the start of the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, by reporter Mark Lancaster. In KFOR's reaction, it is stated that "this is not true as KFOR is not involved in the alleged negotiations at any moment". "After being invited to reinforce its presence, KFOR has coordinated closely with the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) to restore security in the area. The violence in Banjska came after a the attack on KFOR peacekeepers in May 2023, which resulted in the wounding of 93 KFOR personnel, some of whom suffered serious injuries," KFOR's response states.

In the reaction of KFOR, it is also stated that NATO continues to maintain the position that the attackers of Banjska must face justice. "Following the violence, NATO has deployed around 1,000 additional peacekeepers and heavier armor to Kosovo. This has been the largest reinforcement of our contingent in Kosovo in a decade, and it shows that NATO is ready to keep the peace", says the KFOR communique. /DW