NATO PA upgrades Kosovo parl to associate member

The NATO PA’s standing committee proposal was approved with a majority of the votes, with 14 abstentions and one vote against, the PA president, Michal Szczerba, said in a video published by the organisation which is holding its Spring Session in the Bulgarian capital Sofia.

NATO's Parliamentary Assembly comprises 281 delegates from the 32 NATO member countries.

Kosovo will now join 10 other associate delegations, including Albania and Serbia. These delegations do not have the right to vote in assembly sessions, but they can be involved in drafting reports and recommendations, which can influence NATO policies.

On Sunday, the Serbian delegation urged the French and Romanian delegations to vote against Kosovo's advancement in the assembly, citing Pristina's failure to fulfil obligations under the EU-facilitated dialogue with Belgrade, including the formation of an association of Serbian municipalities in Kosovo, according to Serbian media reports.

Kosovo declared unilateral independence from Serbia in 2008 which Belgrade does not recognize.