Conditions for Kosovo in the CoE, Berset: Implementation of ECHR decisions and inclusion of citizens in the north

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, spoke about the Council of Europe and Kosovo's membership.

He told Klan Kosova that there is a positive stance from the parliamentary assembly and stated that it is up to the member states to decide.

"As you may know, Kosovo's application is now on the table of the Committee of Ministers, there is a positive position from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and now it is up to the member states to make this decision."

"We are waiting, so the Committee of Ministers has also waited until after the elections in Kosovo and now it is time to think about the next steps. I must reiterate the responsibility that member states have. We have 46 states that must decide how to proceed with the application. From the secretariat's side, we support all the work that they must do in order to make a decision", Berset further stated.

Berset has indicated the conditions that Kosovo must meet for membership.

He stated that one of these conditions is for the country to recognize the European Court of Human Rights.

"To become part of the Council of Europe, several criteria must be met. One of the conditions is to become a member of the European Convention on Human Rights, to recognize the European Court of Human Rights, the most important body of the Council of Europe, and also to implement all the decisions of the ECHR."

"I think it is in the interest of all citizens, that is, states, member countries, to have the opportunity to have access to the Court and to be aware of all human rights violations and also to address them and make decisions about them."

"This is one thing, while another point is, as you know, the involvement and discussions with all citizens living in the territory of Kosovo, also in the northern part. You know exactly some points of the conditions placed on the table by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that will be a key and very important element of all discussions," said Berset.