Ambassador Rode: Kosovo should take tangible steps for the ZSO if it wants to join the Council of Europe – Society

“Tangible steps must be taken, because the Council of Europe attaches special importance to the issue of minority rights.” The best way for Kosovo to show that it is committed to this is to start implementing the Association. So, take a tangible step, because even the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said that it should be done after the reception,” Rode told Pristina’s KTV television.

He assessed that “the more that is done before the meeting of the Committee of Ministers, the greater the possibility of a successful vote.”

“Believe me, Germany is very interested in a successful vote and successful membership of Kosovo in the Council of Europe,” Rode said.

According to him, the EU should start with the abolition of measures against Kosovo.

“Kosovo did its job, organized a referendum to replace the mayors of the northern municipalities and cannot be blamed because the other side boycotted it.” I am sure that there will be a decision, I hope, in Brussels that will go in that direction. I personally believe that the process of lifting the measures should be started,” said the German ambassador.

According to him, what has characterized the Serbian List (SL) for the last 18 months are only boycotts and resignations.

“The call for a boycott a week before the referendum was a disaster, it’s unfortunate. If you boycott, you cannot be surprised by the result, boycotting is destructive and does not lead to participation. Now we have a situation that does not satisfy anyone. A boycott is never a solution. Boycott and resignations have been the policy of the Serbian List for the last 18 months. That is not the way forward, people want representation, not confrontation,” said Rohde.

He believes that the boycott does not help to de-escalate the situation, because the situation has remained the same.

“The effect is that mayors stay in their offices.” The result is that there is a boycott and the EU and others have also commented on this, it is not the way forward. It’s a destructive way and I don’t see it helping to improve the situation. “We wanted to see results, and boycotts never get results,” Rode said.