How realistic is Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe?

2024-04-27 10:43:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

How realistic is Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe?

Albin Kurti

The historic vote that was given to Kosovo on April 16 in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (CoE) makes the prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, optimistic that Kosovo's membership will be on the agenda at the meeting of the Council of Europe's foreign ministers. in the middle of May. "The strong support for Kosovo with 82 percent should also be reflected in the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe. We are working to ensure that Germany continues its positive will in the Council and supports us so that Kosovo is accepted as the 47th member", he told DW in Berlin, on the sidelines of a festive event organized by the Parliamentary Group of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the Bundestag, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Council of Europe. Albin Kurti held a speech of honor there, where he specifically thanked the German MPs for their commitment to ensuring the majority in the Parliamentary Assembly in KiE.

Politicians and experts are skeptical

But, while on the eve of the vote on April 16, Frank Schwabe, head of the German delegation to the Council of Europe, was more certain that he would reach the necessary two-thirds, three weeks before the ministerial he is more reserved with predictions: "From the point of view today, the chances are 50/50. The significant step we reached with the majority in the Parliamentary Assembly has certainly left an impression on governments, ministers and committees. But there is still a lot to do," the social democratic politician told DW.

Even more skeptical is Gerald Knaus, chairman of the European Initiative for Stability (ESI): We note that the president of Serbia is running a successful campaign to convince key countries in Europe to postpone the vote on Kosovo's admission for the time being, it seems as if President Vu?i? will win this battle", he told DW.

Germany's position is unclear

Not only France, whose president made it clear to the Prime Minister of Kosovo, in a phone call a few days ago, but also Germany seems not yet convinced of Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe, as interlocutors told DW. "The key lies in Paris and Berlin. "Germany has not yet made a clear statement, but it hints that it is ready to fight for membership, if certain conditions are met," said Knaus.

Even Frank Schwabe confirmed that some countries are trying to use this moment to unlock the long-stalled dialogue of the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo "There are governments that now want to bring through the back door what was never achieved in the negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia. I think this is a mistake," said Schwabe.

Knaus: The association is a fantastic creature

Specifically, what the western countries want to achieve is to push Kosovo to create the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority. But, in a study recently published by ESI, this request of the western governments to create the association, apart from the fact that it does not enter into the conditions of membership in the Council of Europe, is called absurd. ESI founder Gerald Knaus told DW that the "Association" is unreal, similar to the "unicorn" of fairy tales. "You can't expect the government to form an association when the members don't want it," he said further. Although there is a draft proposal for this association, part of the Ohrid and Brussels Agreements 2023, none of the elected mayors of Serbian municipalities has not been pronounced on this draft, argued Knaus further. "In addition, in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo, there are currently no elected Serbian representatives who would support such an association, due to the electoral boycott."

Kurti: The association should not break away from the basic agreement

These arguments apparently do not convince the governments of the key countries in the CoE. Knaus is of the opinion that Kosovo should clarify its situation even better and show that the problem is not in Pristina, but in Belgrade. Asked by DW how he is managing this pressure from outside, Albin Kurti said that the creation of the Association should be handled within the framework of the basic Ohrid Agreement, which has not yet been signed by Belgrade, and not be separated on its own. "We are in our right", he said. "We do not reduce the rights of the Serbian minority to a formulation of the association of municipalities, but neither do we deny that this association of municipalities was signed by my predecessors, as part of 39 other agreements with Serbia. I do not agree that the 'Association' should be taken out of the basic agreement and treated separately".

Kosovo before the biggest diplomatic challenge

For Gerald Knaus and Frank Schwabe, one thing is clear: Kosovo will need a lot of diplomatic work in the coming weeks. In addition to the direct diplomatic battles against the campaign of the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vucic, the fact that the European offices lack attention to small countries, given the serious problems with Ukraine, the Gaza Strip and the threat to Israel from Iran, also poses a challenge.

During his two-day stay in Berlin, Prime Minister Kurti held a series of closed-door meetings to clarify Kosovo's position and to convince his partners that Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe is in the best interest of the Council of Europe. "Foreign ministers of the Council of Europe have a partner in Kosovo, which aims not only to benefit from the Council of Europe, but to contribute", Kurti told DW. "The rule of law, human rights in Kosovo, are not only more the best in the Western Balkans, but even better than in some member countries of the Council of Europe". Kurti also met the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, with whom he discussed the steps that will be taken until the May meeting, it was said in a statement of the German Foreign Ministry on the X platform.

Same-sex marriages can improve the position

Whether Kurt's repeated arguments will be enough to convince Paris and Berlin not to postpone the decision on Kosovo, this is not yet known. Knaus and Schwabe are of the opinion that Kosovo can improve its position, if within the next few weeks it manages to approve at least the law on same-sex marriages, as Prime Minister Kurti has promised. This is a human right determined by a decision of the European Court of Human Rights, a body of the Council of Europe. Kosovo would be the second country in the Western Balkans, after Montenegro, which would make such a step, not at all self-evident for the public option in the country, thus proving that it takes the institutions of the Council of Europe seriously, said Knaus. / DW