German Ambassador to Kosovo: No Membership in CoE Without Tangible Steps Toward Community of Serb Municipalities

Council of Europe (Photo: Council of Europe/Candice Imbert)

Germany’s Ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde said on April 23 that if Kosovo wants to join the Council of Europe (CoE), it must take “tangible steps” toward forming an Association of Serb-majority Municipalities.

“Tangible steps must be taken, because the Council of Europe pays special attention to minority rights. The best way for Kosovo to show its dedication to this [cause] is to begin enacting the Association. Therefore, take a tangible step, because even the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has said this must be done after membership [in the CoE],” Rohde told Pristina’s KTV channel.

According to Rohde, the more Kosovo does ahead of the upcoming CoE Committee of Ministers meeting, the greater the chance that the body will vote in favor of Kosovo’s membership.

“Believe me, Germany is very interested in a successful vote and Kosovo successfully joining the Council of Europe,” Rohde stated.

In his opinion, the EU should begin cancelling the measures it implemented against Kosovo because Kosovo “has done its job” by organizing a referendum on removing the mayors of its northern, Serb-majority, municipalities.