The Council of Europe has not yet received a formal request for the admission of Kosovo despite announcements from both Pristina and Belgrade that Kosovo is rapidly preparing to apply for membership, was said from the office of the Secretary-General of that pan-European organization.
According to unofficial information from Strasbourg, Pristina authorities are planning to submit a request for membership during the Belgian presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers, which ends on May 19th and strive to provide support in this international organization for such a move.
From applying for admission till the status of 48th full member of the CoE, Kosovo, according to the procedure, expects long process. A potential member must meet the criteria of the Council of Europe in the field of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law. The process of harmonization with Council of Europe standards is controlled by the MPs of the Parliamentary Assembly. The experience of other countries shows that adjustments may take several years, and the length of the process depends solely on a country that wants to join the CoE.
According to unofficial information in Strasbourg, the issue of potential membership of Kosovo caused deep divisions among member states, even among those that have recognized Kosovo’s independence. A large number of delegates who come from countries that have recognized Kosovo’s independence do not look favourably upon Kosovo’s accession to the Council of Europe, and at the level of the Committee of Ministers there is a concern that the possible decision, taken by majority votes, could cause deeper divisions in the CoE.
Kosovo has so far became a full member in some bodies of the Council of Europe, including the Development Bank and the Venice Commission, and the requirements for membership of the Kosovo Medicines Agency in the European Pharmacopoeia did not meet necessary support of Member States.
Last summer, for procedural reasons, Kosovo was admitted to the Venice Commission without star that indicates the status neutrality and calls on UN Resolution 1244.
