Kosovo's membership request to join the Council of Europe has been approved by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, as announced by Kosovo on Monday. The application was then forwarded to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). This approval is a significant move for Kosovo, as it seeks to expand its international recognition and legitimacy. Kosovo has been recognized as an independent state by more than 100 countries worldwide since its declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008.
However, not all countries supported Kosovo's application for membership in the Council of Europe. Seven countries, including Spain, Serbia, Romania, Georgia, Cyprus, Hungary, and Azerbaijan, voted against the application. Five countries, Greece, Slovakia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, abstained from voting. Armenia did not participate in voting.
On the other hand, 37 countries supported Kosovo's application, including Germany, Andorra, Albania, Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Croatia, the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, and Turkey.
