In Sofia, Bulgaria, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly continues for the second consecutive day, with Kosovo also on the agenda.
On Monday, the advancement of the status of the Assembly of Kosovo from observer member to associate member is expected to be on the agenda.
Analyst Driton Tali, in a statement to “Bota Sot,” says that if there is any conclusion other than Kosovo becoming an associate member, it would be a surprise.
Tali further explains the benefits that Kosovo could gain from this, but he mentions one as the most significant, saying that Kosovo joins nine existing member states such as Austria, Serbia, Bosnia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, etc., and becomes equal with them.
“The advancement of the Assembly of Kosovo to associate member in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is now certain. Any other conclusion at tomorrow’s session will be a surprise of its own kind.
Of course, the benefits will be numerous even in technical aspects, such as the possibility of presenting resolutions and amendments to resolutions, then the possibility of serving as a special associate rapporteur in committees or presenting our perspectives in NATO-Parliamentary Assembly reports. All this beyond the fact that in Kosovo de facto and de jure, NATO has been functioning for 25 years.
But the greatest benefit is in the political aspect, I say. Because Kosovo joins the nine existing member states such as Austria, Serbia, Bosnia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, etc. So Kosovo becomes the tenth – equal with them,” he states.
Regarding Serbia’s opposing campaign, Tali says that the noisiest was the International Institute for Security, led by Prizren native Dr. Orhan Dragash.
“Thus, from Serbia came all that opposing campaign, whether from the government or civil society, where the noisiest was the MIB (Međunarodni Institut za Bezbednost – International Institute for Security), led by Prizren native Dr. Orhan Dragash.
Certainly, the advancement to associate member also accelerates Kosovo’s full membership in NATO, as the supreme goal of Kosovar society,” he concludes for “Bota Sot.”