Kosova’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, firmly stated on Wednesday that his government would not accept the establishment of the Association of Serbian-majority Municipalities as a condition for Kosova’s membership in the Council of Europe (CoE).

Speaking at the Government meeting in Pristina, Kurti said that Kosova has been facing in recent weeks “a new condition, which has nothing to do with membership” in the Council of Europe.

“The government does not accept conditioning CoE membership with the Association. For the normalization of relations with Serbia, we negotiate in Brussels, not in Strasbourg,” stated Kurti.

France and Germany urged Kosova to take steps towards establishing the Association shortly after the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe gave the green light for Kosova’s accession to this organization at the end of April.

The CoE, a leader in Europe for human rights, can vote on Kosova’s accession on May 16. Kosova has applied for membership in the CoE almost two years ago, on May 12, 2022.

On March 27 this year, the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Council of Europe approved the report of the rapporteur for Kosova, Bakoyannis, who said that the country had met the conditions to become a full member of the organization, while considering the Association an internal issue of Kosova.

Later, on April 16, Bakoyannis’ report also passed in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, while the final decision will be made by the Committee of Ministers, exactly one month later.

Comprised of 46 member states, 27 of which are EU members, the Council of Europe is the continent’s leading organization for human rights.

Serbia recently announced that it has set up a working group to prevent Kosova’s accession to this organization. This, despite the agreement it has with Kosova, not to oppose its accession to international organizations.

/a.p./