On 17 April, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) recommended that Kosovo be invited to become a member of the Council of Europe (CoE).

The ALDE-PACE Group voted in favour of this historic decision, with its Vice-President Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo contributing with a report on equality issues.

The Assembly said membership would lead to “the strengthening of human rights standards by ensuring access to the European Court of Human Rights for all those who are under Kosovo’s jurisdiction”.

The final decision will now be taken by the Committee of Ministers, the organisation’s executive body made up of Foreign Ministers.

“Countries and regimes change. People stay. Our fight is not for countries but for individual rights. This is a historical day from a liberal point of view,” declared ALDE-PACE leader Iulian Bulai (USR, RO).  

“We are defending the rights of individuals. Not of countries, not of ethnicities. Today’s decision means more rights to 1.6 million people who lived the war, whose wounds are still healing and who are building a new future together.

“Today’s decision is a starting point and we expect Kosovo to deliver on the agreed reforms and on the international engagements. Kosovo is ready and deserves to enter the Council of Europe. At the same time, Kosovo has to ensure proper protection of the Serbian communities.”

🇽🇰=🇪🇺 Historic day. @PACE_News recommends granting @CoE membership to Kosovo. ALDE-PACE’s VP @BeatriceFresko contributed with a report on equality issues.
Human Rights & Democracy progress for 1.6 mln people in Europe, says @iulibulai @ALDEParty @liberalinternat pic.twitter.com/hFmMOCUf2O

— ALDE-PACE (@ALDExPACE) April 16, 2024