RATIO: What top are the conditions Kosovo is required for membership in the Council of Europe?

The establishment of Association, implementation of the Constitutional Court's decision on the Decani Monastery, and respect for the judiciary's independence are three of the main conditions the Council of Europe's Kosovo Assembly report issues and its path to membership in this mechanism.

On 12 May 2023, Kosovo has applied for membership in the Council of Europe.

The Council of Europe would then send two European lawyers, Spiliopolou Ackermark and Thomas Markert, whose task in Kosovo was to draft a report to see how conform Kosovo's legal system is with Council of Europe standards.

A large part of the report, Which you can read full theSE! , Also dedicated to the Association of Serbian municipalities.

On February 27th, 2023, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq have agreed to a new agreement under the mediation of High Representative Josep Borrell and Special Envoy Miroslav Lajcak. The two sides, among other things, agreed on several issues of bilateral recognitions as the question of documents, national symbols, including passports, diplomas, billboards and that Serbia would not oppose Kosovo's membership in international organisations, while Article 7 refers to a self-advanced management of the Serb community in Kosovo. In Kosovo's case, however, it is an international obligation and is seen as a step towards the expansion between the majority and the Serb community in Kosovo, the report says.

Regarding this report, the director of the Kosovar Institute for Justice, Mr. Ehat Miftaraj, writes:

Additional conditions for membership in Europe Council:

Continue efforts to reform the judiciary, in co-operation with the Council of Europe, and by fully complying with Council of Europe standards

To honour the steps needed to ensure that property demands by refugees and PZHBV are judged within a reasonable time;

Continue efforts to fight corruption and organised crime and ensure proper implementation of new legislation in this area;

The use of special police forces in northern Kosovo to refrain from carrying out ordinary police duties and to ensure that such forces are deployed only where necessary and in close co-ordination with KFOR and EULEX

Meanwhile, earlier journalist Lirim Mehmetaj has also brought the main part of the report, writing:

News that doesn't want Government to know

The Council of Europe has sent two European lawyers to Kosovo to see how conform Kosovo's legal system is with Council of Europe standards.

On November 27th, there is the public report from the Council of Europe Assembly Office. The potential of Kosovo membership in this body depends on this report.

Other than that, the report highlights three needs (read: conditions) that Kosovo must meet: 1) Forming the Association of Serb-based municipalities, 2) implementing the Constitutional Court's decision on the Decani Monastery and 3) policy non-intervention in the judiciary.

So without association, the road to membership is now blocked even in institutions like the Council of Europe.

The government, except that it has made dialogue with Serbia a precondition for advancing integration into European Union institutions, has already made association necessary even for membership in EU-related mechanisms, such as the Council of Europe.

Every day with this government, it is a step back for Kosovo and the citizens of Kosovo.