Filipovic: Message from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers to Pristina – It is not the time for membership; Establishment of the CSM is key

Former Serbian Ambassador to the Council of Europe, Dragana Filipovic, told Kosovo Online that despite the fact that the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur for Kosovo, Dora Bakoyannis, proposed last year that Kosovo be invited to join the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers did not accept it. The key issue, she emphasized, is that Pristina has not fulfilled its international obligation from the Ohrid Agreement—and previously from the Brussels Agreement—to establish the Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities (CSM).

“This was truly the bare minimum. The lack of political will to respect minorities and minority rights—which is a core principle of the Council of Europe and its relation to the Declaration of Human Rights—is extremely significant,” Filipovic stated.

Mathematically speaking, she noted, Pristina may have had the required majority in the Committee of Ministers to pass its membership request. However, she pointed out that having the votes alone is not enough. This is a highly sensitive issue for the Council of Europe as an institution and for its member states, which base their decisions on political context and assess whether it is appropriate to admit what is still considered a contested entity.

“The message sent by the Committee of Ministers is that it is absolutely not yet the time for such a move—and for multiple reasons. We are witnessing internal instability in Pristina, where the new assembly and government have not yet been formed, and such a decision could further destabilize the Balkans, which is a region where stability is of great importance to all,” she explained.

At today’s session, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is also discussing the global geopolitical situation and how the organization should position itself in facing these challenges. It is also considering the Secretary General’s proposal for a new Pact for Democracy. This, Filipovic emphasized, shows that there are more pressing issues at hand and that no steps should be taken that could cause further disruption—especially in terms of security in Southern Europe.

Filipovic noted that Serbia should, in the coming period, work closely with Malta, which has assumed the presidency of the Committee of Ministers and has maintained a fair and constructive approach toward Serbia thus far.

She also highlighted that the Political Affairs Committee of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly is expected to meet by the end of the month. There, Pristina may lobby for its request to be included on the agenda—to obtain Special Guest status in the Parliamentary Assembly. Filipovic said that such a status would represent another step for Kosovo in its so-called “slippery slope” strategy toward full Council of Europe membership—a gradual, step-by-step approach—since full membership would represent a quantum leap in terms of political significance.

Although Kosovo is already a member of some international organizations, primarily financial ones, the Council of Europe is, as she emphasized, a major European political organization, and membership would represent a significant breakthrough for Pristina.

“Until now, only Belarus has been granted Special Guest status, and this status may be requested only by entities that have submitted a formal application for membership. Kosovo has submitted such a request, but its status as an international subject remains questionable. It is not a state, nor is it a member of the United Nations. Kosovo already has the ability to participate in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly in the status of a ‘Delegation of Others,’ which has been allowed since 2016. They do not have voting rights, but they may speak in committee sessions if the topic is relevant to their interests,” the former ambassador explained.

Filipovic acknowledged that Kosovo’s request for Special Guest status could appear on the agenda of the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly, but said she is not certain it would pass easily—given that there has been no tangible progress by Pristina that would justify claiming improved relations with minority communities or enhanced human rights, particularly in regard to the Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities, which Pristina has persistently ignored despite its clear obligation.

“I would say that this issue is still far from being resolved at the level of the Political Affairs Committee, which is meeting in Crete. However, since Serbia has the ability to lobby among member states, it is extremely important that our delegation—which I have no doubt is doing so—is active in lobbying members of the Committee and presenting valid arguments as to why this should not be allowed,” Filipovic concluded.