Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti urged Western diplomats on Monday to support the country’s stalled bid for Council of Europe membership, warning that delays risk denying Kosovar citizens key legal protections.
Kurti met with ambassadors from the Quint countries—the U.S., UK, France, Germany, and Italy—as well as the head of the EU office in Kosovo. The talks focused on Kosovo’s application to join the continent’s leading human rights body.
Kurti emphasized that the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly and its rapporteur have confirmed Kosovo meets all institutional and legal criteria for accession. He called further progress a recognition of democratic reforms and European alignment in a politically complex context.
He also warned that prolonging the process blocks Kosovo’s access to the European Court of Human Rights, particularly for non-majority and vulnerable communities.
The meeting comes just ahead of a planned visit by European Council President António Costa, who is due in Pristina on May 14 after stopping in Belgrade.
