Kurti: An important step despite Serbia's campaign

Kosovo Prime Minister Aljbin Kurti assessed that the fact that Kosovo received the status of an associate member in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly was an important step that was achieved "despite Serbia's campaign".

He said that Kosovo received that status on the eve of the anniversary of its liberation in June 1999, Beta reported.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly accepted the recommendation yesterday and with only one vote against raised the status of Kosovo from an observer to the level of an associate member. 14 countries abstained.

A day earlier, the delegation of the Serbian Parliament had written a letter asking the PS NATO not to improve the status of Kosovo.

The NATO PS is institutionally separate from the alliance, but serves as an important link between NATO and the parliaments of member countries.

It consists of 281 delegates from 32 NATO member countries. In addition to them, delegates from nine associated countries, four associated Mediterranean countries, as well as eight parliamentary observer delegations participate in the activities of the NATO PS.

Associate members, including Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, can submit proposals for decisions and amendments to decisions. Also, they can serve as special rapporteurs joined in committees, in order to present their perspectives in the reports of the NATO-Parliamentary Assembly, according to Beta.

However, they do not have the right to vote on the assembly's reports, resolutions or leadership, nor do they contribute to its budget.

The delegation of the National Assembly of Serbia in the PS NATO announced on the occasion of the improvement of the status of Kosovo that it had witnessed a "dangerous precedent" which violated Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council.

The press release states that the Serbian delegation was not consulted during the decision-making process on Kosovo in that body of the Alliance and that the voting results show that there was no consensus in it.

It is added that the delegation believes that with the decision of the alliance, Kosovo Prime Minister Aljbin Kurti was "rewarded for all the unilateral moves he made during the last few years" which the European Union, NATO and other international factors have warned against.

"With this decision of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the temporary institutions in Pristina were additionally encouraged not to implement the agreements reached, including the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, which is an obligation that was established more than 11 years ago. This decision violated Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council and all agreements reached now within the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina," the delegation stated.