Serbian delegation calls for postponement of decision on Pristina's CoE guest status

CRETE - The Serbian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) met with PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos on Monday to discuss the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, especially regarding the so-called Kosovo's request for special guest status in the Council of Europe (CoE) as well as Pristina's outstanding commitments, including establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities.

The meeting took place on the Greek island of Crete, where the PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy is meeting on Monday and Tuesday.

The Serbian delegation expressed concern over an escalation of violence and pressure by the Albin Kurti-led authorities in Pristina against Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija.

The delegation members also asked Rousopoulos whether there was a possibility of a postponement of a decision on the so-called Kosovo's CoE special guest status in view of Pristina's violations of fundamental human rights and failure to meet undertaken international commitments, a source in the delegation told Tanjug.

Rousopoulos said he himself was aware of the numerous mistakes committed by Kurti and said his political practice was unacceptable.

He said a decision to recommend the so-called Kosovo's admission to CoE had been made by the PACE and that everything was now up to the Committee of Ministers, which he noted was divided on the issue at this time.

The meeting was also attended by PACE Secretary General Despina Chatzivassiliou-Tsovilis, who explained that special guest status brought no additional rights compared to the existing years-long relations with the assembly in Pristina.

She noted that the entire concept was more symbolic that legal in nature and that it was a misinterpreted category that in no way represented a formal step towards CoE membership.

Chatzivassiliou-Tsovilis noted that, at this time, there was no political will within relevant CoE bodies to put the item on the agenda of the next session in June.