EU Council extends Lajcak’s mandate

Lajcak, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkans regional issues was first appointed in April 2020 at the suggestion of EU High Representative Josep Borrell. His new mandate expires in August 2024. The former Slovak Foreign Minister has been actively engaged with the chief negotiators from Belgrade and Pristina and with top officials over the past two years, making multiple visits to Serbia and Kosovo.

According to the European External Action Service (EEAS) web site, Lajcak’s “appointment is testament to the EU’s desire to intensify the EU-facilitated Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and its engagement in the Western Balkans”. “As part of his mandate, he works towards achieving comprehensive normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. He also focuses on improving good neighbourly relations in the Western Balkans and promoting reconciliation, enhancing the EU's visibility and effectiveness through public diplomacy, as well as contributing to the unity, consistency and effectiveness of the EU's action in the Western Balkans,” it said.

The EU Council also extended the mandates of three other Special Representatives whose job is to support the work of the High Representative and promote EU policies. There are nine Special Representatives at present.