NATO Parliamentary Assembly: Final decision on Kosovo's associate membership expected by the end of May

The status of an associate member in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly would provide Kosovo with "additional benefits," according to officials from the organization speaking to Kosovo Online. They emphasize that the final decision on Kosovo's associate membership in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is expected at the next meeting during the plenary session in Sofia, Bulgaria, scheduled for late May.

"As an associate member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the Kosovo Assembly would be granted additional benefits. This would include an additional representative for the Kosovo Assembly Delegation to the NATO PA, as well as the right to speak automatically in NATO PA procedures (rather than at the discretion of the chair), to propose amendments to draft resolutions of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and, under certain circumstances, to participate in NATO Parliamentary Assembly committee visits to other countries," the written response to Kosovo Online states.

It is emphasized that the final decision of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly regarding associate membership is expected at the upcoming meeting during the plenary session in Sofia, Bulgaria, at the end of May.

It is noted that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is "independent from NATO" but "provides a link between NATO and the parliaments of member countries."

Let’s recall that the Standing Committee of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, in Estonia, decided two days ago to elevate Kosovo's status to that of an associate member of the assembly, as announced by Driton Hyseni, the head of the Kosovo Assembly delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.