The German Embassy in Kosovo made it clear that Kosovo will not be able to join the Council of Europe this year, either, without sending the draft statute, proposed by the European Union, for the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities to the Constitutional Court.
In a statement to "Kosovapress", the embassy says that the ball is in Kosovo's court and if the necessary steps are taken before the next CoE ministerial meeting, the agenda could be changed to include a vote on Kosovo's membership in the leading organization in the protection of human rights.
“We have been consistent and transparent, together with our partners, in defining the essential step needed to secure a majority: Submitting the draft Association to the Constitutional Court of Kosovo. Unfortunately, this essential step has not yet been taken. Now the ball is in Kosovo’s court, as stated in the May 2024 letter from President Macron, Chancellor Scholz and Prime Minister Meloni,” says Christian Boettcher, communications officer at the German Embassy.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects Kosovo's application to be processed this year, while emphasizing that the country has met all the required conditions for membership. However, experts in international relations are skeptical that there can be progress in this direction.
Dritëro Arifi said: "I think we are too late and now is not the right decision because circumstances have changed. The Kosovo government, whoever forms the government, must be careful about what we are doing and what we are taking. There must be many concrete diplomatic initiatives on how to move forward. The ball is on our side, but not all of it. It depends on some elements that will change global politics and where we are depends on our consistency in content and not just in numbers."
Institutions in Kosovo have not accepted the draft statute drafted by the European Union for the Association and have spoken out against sending it for assessment to the Constitutional Court. In fact, days ago, President Vjosa Osmani said that the draft is contrary to the Constitution of Kosovo and European values.
Last year, the day before the meeting of the Committee of Ministers, Foreign Minister Donika Gërvalla, through a letter addressed to the President of the General Assembly of the CoE, pledged that Kosovo would draft and send a draft to the Constitutional Court, but not to the EU. However, this was not accepted, and consequently the issue of Kosovo was not placed on the agenda. Kosovo has applied for membership in the Council of Europe in 2022.
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