The angle of diplomacy through recovery

On February 20th, Kosovo Government Foreign Affairs Minister Glauk Konjufca has dismissed 14 people who were engaged as consultants at various Kosovo embassies and consulates in the world.

Meanwhile, on March 3rd, he has proposed the return of 7 ambassadors and councils from relevant diplomatic missions, appointed according to political keys and which have completed the four-year mandate envisioned under the laws in force. However, the decision on their return is under the competence of the country's president.

Andrmen Muja, political affairs analyst, speaking of Radio Free Europe, estimates that Kosovo's problems in foreign policy have been the result of no connection between goals and resource distribution around the world.

According to him, most of the consuls who have served in Kosovo's diplomatic representations in different countries have been politically and largely appointed, as he says, for low election agendas.

The legal “Basa, which they refer to as clearly specifying that political nominated should serve for 4 years, is not well clear whether they can serve if their mandate can be continued without secession from service”.

In this case, it's not obvious, because I don't know the individual case. But, we have to look at the ongoing steps to determine whether the decision has been principled and I am hoping that there will be a general assessment of all diplomatic missions, because I have to say that the list of mission chiefs is predominantly dominated by the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR)4>, Muja said.

The Kryeziu Progress by the Committee for Jury and Political Studies tells Radio Free Europe that during 2010 Kosovo has received no recognition, and there has been no successful effort for membership in key international organisations. According to him, changes in diplomatic representation are not only expected but also necessary.

I consider that Minister Konjufca's recent decisions are attempts to light the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic service and at the same time install a culture of responsibility that has been lacking in institutional officials, perhaps since Kosovo's declaration of independence (2008)x1>.

“Anyway, I consider that any kind of decision of this nature should always be in line with the legal framework, and political arguments should never be single and sufficient for similar decisions”, Kryeziu said.

But in addition to supporting the legal framework, have Minister Konjufca's decisions on the dismissal of 14 consuls and the proposal for the withdrawal of seven ambassadors and councils had political arguments?

So far all the dismissed consultations and ambassadors proposed to return from their missions have been proposed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the New Kosovo Alliance, while none of the Democratic League of Kosovo, which is partners in the ruling coalition with Vetevendosje Movement, comes from which the foreign minister, Konjufca, comes.

Analyst Muja stresses that the government has the right to propose ambassadors, and on the other hand, according to him, it is difficult for ambassadors to serve on foreign missions if they do not have the government's confidence.

However, he expresses the opinion that the failure of foreign policy and diplomacy is not only due to these figures in Kosovo diplomatic missions, but because of policies within the entire Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“In fact, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has served the political agendas of the Democratic Party of Kosovo(PDK), the Democratic League of Kosovo(LDK) and the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), and I hope there is a principled decision for all ambassadors, which also has a set of political ambassadors. I have to state that Vlora Qitaku, Freedom Gracevci and Edon Cana may be the most competent in diplomatic service, even though they were political”.

I know many others who are much more uncompetent and for whom I am hoping they will not be subject to isolation, but of the same principle decision”, Muja said.

Meanwhile, Kryeziu stresses that selective decisions with party overtones should not be reasoned.

The “Every ambassador, who has completed the mandate or not only the ambassador, but also the councils and other members of the diplomatic chorus that have been illegally appointed, must be subject to similar decisions. There should be no moment of political preference, just because one of the ruling partners is also a coalition partner. I consider that the same logic and same measure of assessment should be applicable to all decisions issued by past governments”, Kryeziu said.

Both connoisseurs and developments in the country have estimated that foreign minister Konjufca's decisions will receive their final assessment only when new names are disclosed, which will replace those proposed to return from diplomatic missions, with what will become known on what basis new appointments become.