PRISHTINA, May 12, 2022 – Kosovo’s foreign ministry said Thursday it has officially applied for membership in the Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights organization, in an effort to seize an opportunity after Russia’s recent exit from the organization over its invasion of Ukraine.
The long-delayed application and prospect of Kosovar membership is aimed at strengthening the legal standing of the country.
Kosovar Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz delivered the application in person on May 12 at a meeting with the leadership of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, according to a video posted by her ministry.
“Today a new chapter unfolds for Kosovo at the Council of Europe,” Gervalla-Schwarz said, noting that the application must still face scrutiny from the CoE general assembly and its ministerial committee.
She said her country “deserves to be a member…as soon as possible.”
The application comes shortly after a visit of Prime Minister Albin Kurti and President Vjosa Osmani to the United States, where they have been lobbying for political and economic support for Kosovo.
Gervalla-Schwarz called Kosovo “the most democratic, most pro-European, and the most optimistic country in the region.”
In 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, which is still opposed by Belgrade and Moscow along with a handful of EU member states.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said after coordinated meetings alongside Kosovar Prime Minister Kurti in Berlin this week on normalizing relations with Pristina that Belgrade would “show you our teeth” if Kosovo applied for CoE membership.
“The day we find out that they have officially applied for membership in an organization, our response will be much stronger than they think and will not be just a statement to the media. Believe me, we will show you our teeth,” Vucic said.
In a previous approval in principle of submitting an application, the Kosovar government stressed its fealty to the rule of law and fundamental rights and freedoms.
More than 110 countries recognize Kosovo’s sovereignty, but membership in the UN and many other institutions have eluded it, partly because of resistance from permanent Security Council members Russia and China.
Russia quit the Council of Europe under threat of expulsion last month after its membership was suspended one day after President Vladimir Putin launched Moscow’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Prishtina has suggested it has sufficient backing among the 46-country membership to get the two-thirds majority required for acceptance.
Kosovo joined the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, a related democracy-and-rights advisory body, in 2014.
