28/01/2016 Session
“Ensuring respect for the rule of law and eradicating corruption” must be a priority for the Kosovo* authorities, declared PACE today, after a plenary session debate. “Endemic and widespread corruption” in all aspects of government, justice and the economy negatively impacts the lives of people in Kosovo, irrespective of their community, said the parliamentarians.
The resolution, adopted on the basis of the report by Agustín Conde (Spain, EPP/CD), emphasised the progress achieved in Kosovo in the area of democracy, with the organisation of legislative elections in 2014, and welcomed the adoption of constitutional amendments which paved the way for the creation of specialist chambers.
PACE regretted, however, that the legislative work of the Assembly of Kosovo had been delayed by numerous deadlocks, exposing the inability of the political forces to develop constructive dialogue. It also condemned the recent manifestations of violence in the Assembly of Kosovo, which it considered to be “of particular gravity” and liable to undermine people’s trust in democratic institutions.
As regards the protection of human rights and inter-community relations, PACE called on the authorities to remain vigilant and to “condemn all ethnically motivated attacks”, and to “show a sense of responsibility in their public discourse” in order to ease tensions.
PACE further called on Belgrade and Pristina to “continue European Union-facilitated dialogue” with a view to normalising their relations. The availability of a European perspective for both Belgrade and Pristina and the further strengthening of standards “are of major importance for Kosovo’s democratic security as well as for the stability of the western Balkans as a whole,” said the parliamentarians.
Lastly, PACE recommended that its Bureau modify the current format for co-operation with the Assembly of Kosovo, “with a view to inviting it to designate a delegation which would ensure the representation also of minority communities, in addition to the majority and the opposition.”
* All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.