Peter Sorensen
If everything goes according to plan, by the end of this month, EU member states are expected to confirm Danish diplomat Peter Sorensen as the special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, and he will begin his work at the start of February.
Once Miroslav Lajčak concludes his nearly five-year mandate on January 31, the EU is set to have his successor ready.
According to information obtained by Koha from European diplomatic sources, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, Kaja Kallas, has selected Peter Sorensen to be the European Union’s Special Representative (EUSR) for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.
According to EU procedures, this appointment now needs to be confirmed by the EU member states in the Council. This will be on the agenda next week, likely on Tuesday, February 21, in the Political and Security Committee, after which it will be submitted for confirmation at the ministerial level. Sources from Koha in Brussels say that this is expected to be a mere formality, as no member state has expressed any opposition to Sorensen’s nomination.
If all goes according to plan, EU member states are expected to confirm Sorensen as the EUSR for the dialogue by the end of this month, and he will begin his duties at the start of February.
Peter Sorensen is an experienced diplomat from the Western Balkans region. He has held various positions, starting from the period of UNMIK administration in Kosovo, in the pillar led by the EU, to his role as the EU’s Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Head of the EU Delegation in Sarajevo. He has also served as Head of the EU Delegation in Skopje and as the Special Envoy for the EU High Representative for Serbia. Currently, he is a senior advisor at the European External Action Service for Digital Diplomacy. His selection by diplomats is seen as an indication that Kaja Kallas wants someone who is already familiar with the file, and that she personally wishes to be engaged in the dialogue process. When Miroslav Lajčak was appointed five years ago, it was emphasized that, in addition to his experience, his previous role as a minister in an EU member state also added political weight to his position, beyond just diplomatic expertise.
