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.

This publication is the 3rd edition, part of the Foreign Policy Analysis Program, which was established by the Pristina Institute for Political Studies in 2014. The program aims to analyze and support the Euro-Atlantic integration of Kosovo, initiating public debate and producing research on regional, European, and global developments and their effects on Kosovo's international position.

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.

Countries around the world have been hit by the phenomenon of violent extremism and foreign fighters, and the Western Balkans was no exception.

This policy analysis aims to shed light on how six Western Balkan countries have dealt with preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). It is intended to be the third and final in a series on this issue. More specifically, this analysis provides a regional statistical comparison of convictions for terrorism and participation in foreign conflicts, as well as an overview of the challenges faced by the six Western Balkan countries in preventing and combating violent extremism.

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.

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.

The aim of this policy analysis is to shed light on how the six Western Balkan countries dealt with preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). It is intended to be the first of a series of analysis on the issue. While this paper will focus on specific country initiatives and actor-based analysis, the upcoming publications will provide a regional statistical outlook concerning the phenomenon of foreign fighters, including the repatriation and reintegration initiatives, convictions, as well as the challenges faced by the six Western Balkan countries.