Today historic Kosovo membership vote on Council of Europe

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe today, with 2/3 of the votes of all MPs present by all member states, will vote on the recommendation for the Ministerial Council for the membership of the Republic of Kosovo in the Council of Europe.

A successful vote would pave the way for the final step, the decision of the Ministerial Council, which the first opportunity to establish Kosovo's membership on the agenda would be 16 May, when the Council of Europe marks the 75th anniversary of its establishment.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Donika Grovalla said the day of voting is a huge step towards membership, but it is not the final step, because the final step requires the vote of foreign ministers.

The Council of Europe is a leading organisation in Europe in the field of human rights. Its share is 46 states, including 27 European Union member states and all countries in the region.

The European Court for Human Rights, headquartered in Strasbourg, France, monitors the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Kosovo submitted its application for membership to the Council of Europe in May 2022 shortly after Russia's expulsion from this organisation, following aggression in Ukraine.