Kosovo’s request for guest status has been withdrawn from the agenda of the Committee on Politics of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Kosovo’s request was scheduled to be considered on the agenda of today’s meeting, but was withdrawn at the start of the session.
“At the opening of its meeting today in Paris, the Committee on Politics of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe decided to remove from the agenda item number 5: “Request for special guest status from the Assembly of Kosovo*”, the response states.
The Parliamentary Assembly may grant special guest status to national parliaments of European countries that are not member states but which have applied for membership of the Council of Europe.
Members of the special guest delegation may sit in the Parliamentary Assembly, but do not have the right to vote. They are entitled to make a speech with the permission of the President of the Assembly.
Kosovo failed to join the Council of Europe in early 2024, because it was conditioned on the creation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo.
The eventual membership in this organization would help Kosovo, among other things, in the field of rule of law and combating corruption.