As the 4th Council of Europe Summit is about to take place in Reykjavik on the 16th and 17th of May, PIPS, along with the Association of Schools of Political Studies of the Council of Europe, have addressed an open letter to the head of states of the Council of Europe members to express our concern over increasing harassment of NGOs, journalists, lawyers, academics, human rights defenders, whistleblowers, and other dissenting voices, aimed at curbing political pluralism and silencing dissent.

-The Association of Schools of Political Studies was set up in 2008 to enhance the role of political studies in the management of the Council of Europe's program and strengthen links between the schools.

Since the declaration of independence in 2008, Kosovo has managed to become a member of several multilateral organizations, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, as well as the Development Bank of the Council of Europe in 2013 and the Venice Commission in 2014. By submitting the request for membership to the Council of Europe on May 12, 2022, Kosovo started an important political process, thus opening a new chapter. There seems to be a long and difficult process involved in joining the Council of Europe. This brief policy note, therefore, provides an overview of Kosovo's application to the Council of Europe and briefly elaborates on Kosovo's strategy and multilateral relations with the Council of Europe.

These reports elaborate the general energy consumption behavior of citizens living in the municipality of Suhareka in Kosovo and the municipality of Kurbini in Albania. The target groups are divided into the household and business sectors. In addition, the reports elaborate on the overall national-level policies and institutional frameworks in place that play a role in designing, supporting and implementing aspects of energy and climate efficiency across sectors.





IPA II CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION PROGRAM OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
ALBANIA – KOSOVO (2014 – 2020)

The project "The road to efficient local use of natural resources". This project is financed The project is implemented by:
from the European Union Academy of Political Studies
Pristina Institute for Political Studies
Kurbin Municipality
Suharekë municipality

Since 2018, Kosovo has not applied for membership in any major international organization. Although expanding its presence in international organizations has been one of the main goals of Kosovo's foreign policy in the post-independence period, membership in the Venice Commission in 2014 remains the last major multilateral accession for Kosovo.

The Government Program 2021-2025 includes several commitments for multilateral accession. One of the most important commitments is to apply for membership in the World Trade Organization.

This policy note discusses Kosovo's prospects of joining this organization, in light of the functions and importance that this multilateral body plays for the global economy today.

Our latest publication aims to provide an overview of Kosovo's foreign affairs in 2021. The report is part of PIPS's commitment to document and analyze Kosovo's foreign policy policies each year. The study focuses on the main events and policy developments that have dominated Kosovo's foreign relations, as well as the successes and challenges it faces in implementing key foreign policy goals. Aims to document key developments shaping Kosovo's bilateral diplomacy, dialogue with Serbia, recognition and membership in international organizations, and Euro-Atlantic integration.

The justice system has so far undergone ongoing reforms and there have been efforts by various Governments to prioritize long-term challenges that make it impossible for justice institutions to function and provide justice to citizens. This analysis aims to discuss the current state of justice system reform in Kosovo during 2021, in particular in the context of the implementation of the SAA and other reforms for EU integration.

Regional cooperation in the Balkans is accompanied by a deep mistrust between states. Various initiatives initiated by the European Union or EU members, have installed various mechanisms to facilitate regional relations and maximize benefits for all participating countries. However, this has often not been the case. This Policy Note analyzes in a comparative context the government proposal with the existing economic cooperation agreement. Meanwhile, it provides an overview of how the new proposal would work, in the normative framework.

In our latest paper, PIPS analyzed Kosovo's approach and its role in the global fight against misinformation. Similar to other parts of the globe, in recent years the Western Balkans has seen an increase in disinformation and hybrid wars.

In the Western Balkans, the main purposes of fake news include, among other things, undermining the legitimacy and sovereignty of Kosovo's statehood, changing the narratives of war and war crimes, and undermining the West's credibility regarding state-building in Kosovo. News about Kosovo, in addition to being a dominant topic in the Serbian media, is often the subject of inaccurate reporting. Narratives spread by biased media also focus on weakening support for Euro-Atlantic institutions.

Such developments are an obstacle to regional integration and cooperation, which is why in this policy analysis PIPS has listed opportunities and recommendations for the government of Kosovo and the EU to address this phenomenon.