Lajcak continues mandate as EU envoy for dialogue

The European Council made the expected decision. For another 17 months, he extended the mandate of the Special Envoy for Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak.

According to the Slovak diplomat's monetary decision, with a team from April 1, 2021 to August 31st 2022, there are over two and a half million euros available.

Lajcak, was appointed emissar for dialogue on April 1st 2020.

For 12 months in Lajcak post, there were three tours in the two countries for which it has been summoned, Kosovo reports.

In Brussels, under his mediation there were several circles of high-level and technical negotiations.

In this process Lajcak has said there are agreements on the issue of the missing, economic co-operation, and displaced persons. But documents do not dawn until the final deal on all topics has been reached.

“Lajcak has made some mistakes during this period. His insistence that achieving the legally binding Pristina-Belgrade agreement could occur within months and not years is wrong. The time game gives unnecessary pressure. Even his statement that there must be constitutional changes in Kosovo by not being able to demonstrate exactly what this is about in relation to association, German dialogue expert Bodo Weber raised concerns”.

Developments in the Washington-Berlin relations have changed, and there are changes in Pristina, so according to Webber emissary will have the easier job.

Lajcak has Prime Minister Kurti and President Vuciq, who have clear majority in their respective countries, on the table. The Trump Administration is also finished, and this has made emissar talk about new expectations that the negotiation process now gets the right speed”.

Miroslav Lajcak is former chief of Slovakia's diplomacy.

The country is among the five member states of the 27 that have the European Union that do not recognise Kosovo's independence.