Kosovo’s Defense Minister Ejup Maqedonci and Vetëvendosje Movement deputy Driton Hyseni, said on Sunday that the Permanent Commission of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has upgraded the status of the Kosovo Assembly in this body from an observer to an associate.
Hyseni, who also chairs the Kosovo Assembly’s delegation to this Assembly, said this is “the highest level of presence in the Assembly until Kosovo’s full membership in NATO”, and that the decision will be formalized through a vote in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly at the spring session on May 27 in Sofia.
“With the elevation of Kosovo’s representation level in the NATO Assembly, we will have an expansion of the delegation, greater involvement in Assembly decisions, and the right to address amendments and comments on each process and document handled by the Assembly, which previously had to be done through the delegations of other countries, mainly Albania,” Hyseni said via a Facebook post.
Minister Maqedonci considered the decision as a significant step towards Kosovo and the region’s security and prosperity.
For the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly consists of 281 delegates from 32 NATO member countries. Each delegation is formed based on the population of a state and its parliament.
Delegates are nominated by the parliaments in their countries.
In addition to them, the Assembly also includes delegates from nine associate countries, four from associate countries in the Mediterranean, and eight parliamentary observers participating in activities, bringing the total number of delegates to 362.
Associate members can participate in almost all committee and subcommittee activities and plenary sessions.
They can present resolutions and amendments to resolutions.
They can also serve as associated special rapporteurs in committees to represent their positions on NATO Parliamentary Assembly reports.
However, they are not allowed to vote on reports, resolutions, or the leadership of the Assembly, nor do they contribute to its budget.
Kosovo state officials have expressed several times the aim to become part of NATO.
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has mentioned that he aims for the country to join NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.
The United States has supported Kosovo’s decision, although they have cautioned that such membership requires the approval of all alliance countries.
Out of the 32 NATO member countries, 28 have recognized Kosovo as an independent state, while four (Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain) have not yet done so.
The Partnership for Peace is a NATO program aimed at building trust between NATO member states and other states in Europe.
Currently, NATO is present in Kosovo through its mission, KFOR.
