PACE: The report by Dora Bakoyannis will be discussed and voted on by the Committee on Political Affairs

The Rapporteur for Kosovo in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Dora Bakoyannis, visited Kosovo last week, and as reported by Kosovo Online from the PACE Press Service, Bakoyannis will prepare a report for the Parliamentary Committee on Political Affairs in the coming period. This report will contain a draft opinion on Kosovo's membership request in the organization. The Committee will discuss and vote on this request.

"The rapporteur's report will also take into account the report prepared by two eminent lawyers appointed by the Assembly Bureau to assess the compliance of the applicant's legal system with the standards of the Council of Europe", it is said in the PACE Press Service's response for Kosovo Online.

Regarding the deadline for Bakoyannis to prepare a report based on her visit to Kosovo, the PACE states that all reports have a two-year deadline for completion, but many are completed more quickly.

"The rapporteur has repeatedly stated that there was no schedule yet", the PACE Press Service adds.

The next phase in the process of considering Kosovo's membership request in the Council of Europe also involves the Committees on Legal Affairs and Human Rights and on Equality and Non-Discrimination preparing separate opinions based on their areas of competence.

"These rapporteurs are expected to visit Kosovo later in 2023," according to the PACE Press Service.

As for when the vote in the PACE on Kosovo's membership request can be expected after the "on-site" work is completed, there is no precise answer.

"The Assembly in full will hold a plenary debate and vote on its opinion on the membership request, which will then be forwarded to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. A date for this debate has not been determined", the PACE Press Service says.

In responses provided to our portal, Kosovo is mentioned with an asterisk and a footnote stating that "all references to Kosovo, whether it concerns the territory, institutions, or population, will be fully understood in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo".

During her visit to Kosovo, Bakoyannis met with, among others, the Prime Minister and the President of Kosovo, the delegation from the Serb List, and the Abbot of Visoki Decani Monastery, Sava Janjic.

As a reminder, Kosovo submitted its membership request to the Council of Europe on May 12, 2022.