Miroslav Lajčak’s successor is expected to serve solely as a special representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, with no additional responsibilities concerning the Western Balkans region.
Lajčak’s current position includes duties related to “other regional issues,” in addition to his role as facilitator in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.
Former Slovenian president and prime minister, Borut Pahor, had earlier been mentioned as a potential candidate for this position. Pahor had confirmed during the summer that he was interested in the post and had received the support of the government for his decision.
However, Pahor later announced that he would not be running for the EU’s special representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, realizing that the role required more of a diplomatic rather than political level of engagement.
The Kosovo-Serbia dialogue has been facilitated by the European Union for over 13 years.
The EU continues to stress that the implementation of all agreements reached so far is an obligation for both Kosovo and Serbia, and remains a condition for their advancement in the European integration process.
Diplomatic sources within the EU say that this position will not change in the future, regardless of who the facilitator is in the dialogue.
