Ukraine Turmoil Bolstered Kosovo's Bid To Join Council Of Europe - Kosovar Lawmaker

Faizan Hashmi Published May 13, 2022 | 06:28 PM

Glauk Konjufca, the chairman of Kosovo's legislature, suggested on Friday that the conflict in Ukraine raised the chances of the breakaway Serbian region to join the Council of Europe

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2022) Glauk Konjufca, the chairman of Kosovo's legislature, suggested on Friday that the conflict in Ukraine raised the chances of the breakaway Serbian region to join the Council of Europe.

Kosovo applied for membership of the 46-nation human rights organization earlier in the day, prompting Serbia to hold an urgent national security meeting. Serbia does not recognize the independence of its southern territory.

Konjufca said Kosovo counted on the backing of two-thirds of Council members when it considered applying for membership in 2015 but its allies dissuaded it from pushing ahead with the bid.

"The recent events that followed the Russian interference in Ukraine created favorable conditions... Talks we've had lately changed the atmosphere and Kosovo itself has changed," he argued.

The application threatens to undermine the Brussels-led normalization negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia, aspiring EU member states. The Kosovo premier also asked NATO in March to consider admitting Kosovo citing Serbia's close ties with Russia.