Foreign Policies

EU Appoints Lajcak as Its Special Representative for Western Balkans

Brussels, April 3 (TASR) – The Council of the European Union on Friday appointed former Slovak foreign minister Miroslav Lajcak as its special representative for dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina and other regional issues in the Western Balkans.

The Council of the EU in a press release stated that among Lajcak’s chief tasks will be to achieve a comprehensive normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo – which hasn’t been recognised as an independent state by Slovakia, however. He should “improve good neighbourly relations and reconciliation between partners in the Western Balkans, helping them to overcome the legacy of the past, and contribute to the consistency and effectiveness of EU action in the Western Balkans”.

Lajcak will take up his duties immediately, with an initial mandate of 12 months.
A long-term diplomat, Lajcak until recently served for eight years as Slovakia’s foreign minister. In 2017-18, he simultaneously held the post of president of the United Nations General Assembly. He earlier served as EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (2007-09).

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