Hoxhaj: Votes against Kosovo in KiE tell of Serbian influence in region

On Tuesday, Kosovo was supported by the overwhelming majority of MPs at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, marking an important step towards membership in this important European organisation.

In Kosovo's favour, there were 131 European lawmakers, while 29 others went against them. 11 other delegates decided to <x0eshtin” by abstained in the key vote for Pristina.

Commenting on this decision, former Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said in an interview for the “Balkan Update” that the votes against show a regional return to Serbian influence. He says that harmful were the speeches of MPs, who, according to whom, show a moldous nationalism in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“There has been no doubt that anyone could abstain, but these votes of Serb or pro-Serb party deputies show a regional return of Serbian influence to Montenegro and Bosnia and is unfortunate, and this indicates that Kosovo's foreign policy, colleagues who lead Kosovo institutions will have to restore contacts and communication so that such things do not repeat in the past because they hurt were also their speeches that disseminated the Muslim nationalism if in Montenegro or Bosnia. The party, which currently leads Montenegro, is the product of the Serbian Orthodox Church and, at the end of the day, does not even recognise the citizenship of Montenegro itself, so a good vote has to do with the attitudes these parties share within Montenegro's politics. While the VMMO's participation does not show the direction of things, which may be against the interests of Albanians not only in the MV but also in relation to official Tirana and Pristina, since it seems that VRMO will be a political party longer than representation of Macedonians' interests. This shows that Kosovo needs to break down this statehood, where it is found as a result of the return of Serbian politics to the region. The question here is how much we need to co-ordinate either with colleagues and friends in Tirana or Skopje, but also with international partners. 2024 has another landscape with new shades in regional policy.”, he said.

He says the latest step for membership in the KiE will be to accept the draft agreement on association of Serb majority municipalities and to send it to the Constitutional Court. However, he says that this requirement is unfair, as association would have to be approved when Serbia has recognised Kosovo's republic.

No more than Mr. Kurti has accepted in Brussels' agreements and the Ohrid annex because for our partners their support for their membership in this organisation is a vote even to implement last year's Brussels agreement. And if Article 1-6 deals with how to advance Kosovo's international sovereignty, Article 7 deals with implementing past agreements and with the expectations partners have to establish the association of Serb majority municipalities. The vote was historic, but it must be realised that the vote has been after meeting the preliminary condition as the census of the Decani monastery's properties and it appears that the conclusion of this process will occur after Kurti approves the draft status of association and is sent to the Constitutional Court. In my conviction such a request is unfair since association would have nothing to do with membership in the KiE, but Kurti, Osmani and Konjufca must have pledged that, at their request, they have pledged. For me and us as the Kosovo PD, it is unfair since it has fulfilled all criteria to be in the weather at the Kosovo Council. The association would have to be established and delivered to the JCK only when Serbia recognises the republic of Kosovo and when an agreement for mutual recognition is reached. “, Hoxhaj said.

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