CoE Secretary: Condition for Kosovo's membership is dialogue with all communities, including citizens in the north

Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset pointed out the conditions that Kosovo must fulfill in order to become a member of this international organization, emphasizing that one of them is for Pristina to recognize the European Court of Human Rights, and another is to engage in dialogue with all communities, including all citizens in northern Kosovo.

“In order to become a member of the Council of Europe, several criteria must be met. One of the conditions is to become a party to the European Convention on Human Rights, to recognize the European Court of Human Rights—the most important body of the Council of Europe—as well as to implement all decisions of the European Convention on Human Rights,” he said in an interview for Klan Kosova, as reported by Index Online.

He explained why it is important for Kosovo to recognize the European Court of Human Rights.

“I believe it is in the interest of all citizens, that is, of all member states, to have access to the Court and to be aware of all human rights violations, to be able to address them and for the Court to make rulings on them,” Berset stated.

He stressed that another important issue is dialogue with all communities in Kosovo.

“That is one part, while the other, as you know, is the inclusion of and dialogue with all citizens living in the territory of Kosovo, including those in the north. You are well aware of the conditions put forward by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which will be a key and very important element in all discussions,” Berset said.