Hoti: Kosovo ready to fulfill all requirements for CoE membership, CSM only after elections

The letter from Kosovo leaders to the Council of Europe rapporteur for Kosovo, Dora Bakoyannis, confirms their readiness to meet all international community requirements for accession to the Council of Europe, analyst Afrim Hoti from Pristina says. However, he does not believe that the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities can happen before the elections.

Hoti points out that the decision to return the land to the Visoki Deani Monastery was "somewhat like a precondition for obtaining membership in the Council of Europe."

"It is obvious that with the recent decision of the Kosovo government to give land to the Serbian Decani Monastery, Kosovo has already formally fulfilled the requirement for accession to the Council of Europe. In other words, the letter sent by Kosovo leaders only confirms the readiness of the Kosovo authorities to meet all requirements and to declare themselves as a country that wants to be part of democratic processes and respect for human rights," Hoti says.

When asked about when the formation of the CSM can be expected, Hoti mentions that it is the "most complex requirement" for which he is not optimistic.

"I am quite pessimistic about this issue. I don't think the Association will be formed soon. Perhaps in light of membership in the Council of Europe, it is crucial to start this process. If the authorities in Pristina start the formation, I think that would be the most significant step towards Council of Europe membership," the analyst from Pristina says, adding that it would cost the government of Albin Kurti the elections.

"The formation of the Serbian community would affect the upcoming elections, so I don't think the Association will be addressed before the elections in Kosovo," Hoti concludes.