Remarks by Albania in response to the address by the President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova,  Mihai Popşoi

 Meeting 1555 of the OSCE Permanent Council, 26 February 2026, Vienna

Thank you, Mr. Chair,

Albania welcomes the President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Mihai Popşoi. We appreciate his address, which underscores the vital role that the OSCE and the Council of Europe play in advancing democracy, security and human rights across Europe and the OSCE region.

The Council of Europe has been instrumental in supporting my own country’s transformation, providing guidance and expertise in strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law, and human rights protections The Council of Europe’s expertise in the Fundamentals, including justice reform and the fight against corruption, among others, remains essential to Albania’s European integration process.

Albania welcomes the emphasis that the presidency of the Republic of Moldova has placed on the rule of law, democracy, and human rights, as well as its three major axes, namely support for Ukraine, support for the New Democratic Pact for Europe, and strengthening the response to disinformation.

Earlier this week, we marked four years of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which continues to violate international law, threaten European stability, and undermine OSCE and the Council’s principles.

On Ukraine the Council of Europe has shown a powerful example. Albania strongly supports the Council’s effort in building a comprehensive accountability architecture, namely the Register of Damage, the International Claims Commission, and the work towards the establishment Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression. The Council has had a decisive focus also on the children of Ukraine.

Mr. Chair,

As Chair of the Human Dimension Committee in the OSCE, Albania reaffirms its commitment to reinforcing co-operation and complementarity between our two organizations.

The themes we are planning to discuss this year among the participating States – such as gender equality, rule of law, elections in the digital age, tolerance and non-discrimination, freedom of expression, national minorities, and violence against women, with continued attention to the human dimension implications of the war against Ukraine – resonate very much with the shared values and objectives of our two organizations.

On this note, I am particularly pleased that we have invited Petra Bayr, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, to be the keynote speaker at the Human Dimension Committee next week, dedicated to gender equality and political representation.

Mr. Chair, colleagues,

Albania has long been a strong advocate for regional cooperation as a foundation for stability, peace, and economic development. In this spirit, I reiterate our strong appeal to the member states of the Council of Europe to address as soon as possible an important unresolved issue: the membership of the Republic of Kosova.

Kosova’s membership in the Council of Europe can only contribute to the reaffirmation of the principles and values of the Organization itself. At the same time, it would help consolidate the same values in the country, to the benefit of all its citizens, including its minorities.

We believe that Kosova’s membership in the Council of Europe is long overdue. Therefore, we urge the Committee of Ministers to act without delay, inspired by the Parliamentary Assembly’s call, which reflects the Council’s core mission – to welcome all societies and people that adhere to its values.

Mr. Chair,

In conclusion, I wish to emphasize that ensuring strong collaboration, sufficient recourses and political cohesion is essential for both our organizations to meet effectively the challenges of today and tomorrow.

We once again thank the President of the Committee of Ministers for his address.

Thank you!