Experts in Pristina: Kosovo Stands Good Chance of Joining Council of Europe

Pristina (BETA/Andrija Igic)

The chances of Kosovo getting a positive answer to its request for membership in the Council of Europe are realistic and expected, Pristina-based European integration experts have said.

European law professor Emrush Ujkani said that among the reasons that helped Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe were the distancing of Russia from this mechanism, and the legal and constitutional infrastructure of Kosovo.

"The chances of Kosovo being a member of the Council of Europe are great, given the withdrawal of Russia from this mechanism, but what is important is that Kosovo has a good legal and constitutional infrastructure that makes it compliant with the standards of the Council of Europe, while the majority of member states recognize Kosovo. In the procedural aspect, I see no obstacles," Ujkani told Pristina media.

As for the duration of admission procedures, Ujkani said that varied from case to case, because it was more of an internal matter of the Council. "There is no strict deadline, but there are multiple issues within the Council. I cannot say that it will happen in the course of 2022. What matters is that Kosovo has applied [for membership]," he said.

European law professor Avni Mazreku also believes that Kosovo will become a member of the Council of Europe. In his words, that is also because Russia, as the country that opposed Kosovo's membership the most, has left the Council of Europe.

Mazreku is skeptical that this question will get its epilogue this year. "As far as procedures are concerned, that mainly depends on the will of the states. Kosovo's becoming a member by the end of 2022 is difficult because it is a very short period," he said, adding that Serbia's warning that it would launch diplomatic offensives to obstruct this process should be taken into account.