3 minutes agoKiE Membership Kurt says in front of QUINT: Request for a draft of association in Constitution, excess
Periskopi(2 years ago)
(2 years ago)The Kosovo government through a communique for the media has announced what has been discussed at the QUINT prime minister's meeting with ambassadors, Periksopi reports. It says that at the meeting it has been talking about Kosovo's other steps for membership in the Council of Europe. But here Kurti, at the meeting, has said that Kosovo [...]
It says that at the meeting it has been talking about Kosovo's other steps for membership in the Council of Europe.
But here Kurti, at the meeting, has said that Kosovo has met every request to be admitted to this international body, saying that any request or other condition, is unnecessary, alluding to France and Germany's demand, that the draft amendment of association be sent to the Constitutional before May 17th.
Furthermore, as a sign of readiness and step forward, three state leaders sent rapporteur Dora Bakoyannis's guarantee of addressing the post-member membership issues identified by the Council of Europe. The prime minister stressed that Kosovo is the most democratic country in the Western Balkans, with an advanced constitution which offers guaranteed and expanded rights for the non-communal community, and exceeds international standards, valued by the Council of Europe lawyers as well. With the letter of assurance, Kosovo has met all criteria for membership, so every other requirement is incompatible with the 16 April Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe vote itself, supported by the measure of 82% (131 versus 29)”, the Government announced.
Full announcement:
Prime Minister Kurti met with QUINT state ambassadors and chief of European Union Office in Kosovo
The prime minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, accompanied by First Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Kressnik Ahmeti, met today with ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of the QUINT states and chief of the European Union Office in Kosovo.
The meeting discussed current developments and the process of membership in the Council of Europe.
The prime minister stressed that, so far, three important institutions of the Council of Europe (Eminent judges, Rapporteur Dora Bakojannis and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) have confirmed that the Republic of Kosovo meets the standards and criteria to be a full member of this organisation. The conditions and preconditions for membership were put in the report of rapporteur Dora Bakoyannis, which the Republic of Kosovo meets, including a long-awaited decision for the Decani Monastery. Moreover, as a sign of readiness and step forward, three state leaders sent rapporteur Dora Bakoyannis's letter of assurance to address post-member membership issues identified by the Council of Europe.
The prime minister stressed that Kosovo is the most democratic country in the Western Balkans, with an advanced constitution which offers guaranteed and expanded rights for the non-communal community, and exceeds international standards, valued by the Council of Europe lawyers as well. With the guarantee letter, Kosovo has met all criteria for membership, so every other requirement is at odds with the 16 April Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe vote itself, supported by 82% (131 to 29).
The prime minister recalled that normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia takes place in Brussels and not in Strasbourg; that the process of membership in the Council of Europe is a matter of respect for human rights, democracy and rule of law -- values that the Republic of Kosovo embraces. These two processes shouldn't get involved because they don't help each other. If these are mixed up, this would do irreparable damage on one side of the dialogue in Brussels and on the other side of the Council of Europe as the institution of preservation and promotion of democracy and human rights.
The prime minister stressed that Article 7 of the Basic Agreement cannot be drawn from the package of the Brussels and Anex Agreement in Ohrid and should not be set as priority and centre. He recalled that on 26 October, bids to sign the agreement in packages that would pave the way for full implementation of the Agreement, including Article 7 related to Article 10. In this direction, the prime minister reiterated that the document offered as a draft statute by Lajcak for implementation of Article 7 related to that 10, has not been accepted on 26 October last year in Brussels.
He called on the allied states of Kosovo, the states of the QUINT, to support Kosovo's membership on May 17th in line with assessments by the Council of Europe's own institutions, and on the basis of merit achievements in the development of democracy, human rights, rule of law and its compliance with Western values and attitudes. At a time when authorities in Europe are on the rise and are increasingly violating democracy, security and peace, Kosovo's democratic achievements should be celebrated by Western democracies.
