In light of the coming elections for PACE Secretary General in June of this year, Ambassador Schmid presented the Swiss candidate nominated for the position.

The Head of the National Assembly delegation to PACE Biljana Pantic Pilja said that before the elections, in the May session, the organisation will consider the so-called state of Kosovo’s bid to join and if it does then Serbia would consider whether it will continue to take part in PACE.

She added that the possible acceptance of so-called Kosovo would be a profound violation of international law, as well as the statute and principles the work of the Council of Europe is founded on, highlighting the severe violation of human rights of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija by the regime of Albin Kurti. The ban on Serbian currency and goods in Kosovo-Metohija, along with constant pressures and attacks have forced 11% of Serbs to leave this part of the Serbian territory since Kurti has been in power”, said Pantic Pilja.

The members of the National Assembly delegation to PACE Dunja Simonovic Bratic, Vladimir Djordjevic and Aleksandar Mirkovic confirmed the delegation’s shared stance. They stressed that any support for Serbia’s position on the issue is greatly important, expressing the expectation that the Swiss parliamentary delegation would support respecting international law.

Ambassador Schmid said that he was aware of Serbia’s concern, with the hope that Serbia would remain a member of the Council of Europe because it belongs in it. He opined that our two states have enjoyed long years of friendship despite differing in certain views.