Balkans | The first stage of Kosovo’s application for membership in the Council of Europe has been completed

Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora announced that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has approved Kosovo’s application for Council membership and referred it to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

The statement indicated that the decision was taken by more than two-thirds of the votes of the member states, and this positive decision came after long and hard work and close cooperation with the member states of the Council of Europe and other allies. The Republic of Kosovo is very grateful to all the countries that voted affirmatively in the Committee of Ministers and helped other countries to cast positive votes.

The statement also announced that the next step in the process for Kosovo’s membership in the Council is for PACE to prepare an opinion on Kosovo’s application for membership and to submit that opinion to the Committee of Ministers which will make the final decision on membership.

“the final before the final”

The statement, which described Kosovo’s completion of the first phase of its membership as “the final before the final”, stressed that there was still more work to be done before full membership.

The country’s leaders also shared the topic on their social media accounts.

“Our flag will soon be flying proudly among the members of the Council of Europe”

“The flag of the Republic of Kosovo will soon be raised with pride among the members of the Council of Europe,” said Kosovo President Fyuza Osmani.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti said, “Our country will be an added value to the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe will add value to democracy, human rights and the rule of law in our country.

Kosovo submitted a formal application for membership of the Council of Europe on May 12, 2022, following Russia’s expulsion from the council.

trtnews