The Czech Republic will establish its first ambassador to Kosovo. Bohumil Mazánek, former ambassador to Lithuania and general consul in Shanghai and Katowice, will be appointed. The government approved the appointment along with 25 others on the proposal of Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský (Pirates) and entrusted President Petr Pavel.
The new ambassador will be the first to Kosovo after years of delays related to, among other things, former President Miloš Zeman’s stance. Zeman disagreed with recognizing Kosovo as an independent state and openly sympathized with Serbia, with which Kosovo has long-standing strained relations.
Kosovo, which was previously a Serbian province, declared independence in 2008, and the then-cabinet of Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek (ODS) recognized its sovereignty. Even Zeman’s futile attempt to withdraw recognition did not change that. Over 100 countries have recognized Kosovo to date.
The Czech Republic ratified an agreement with Kosovo to prevent double taxation by the president’s signature a few days ago. The ratification took almost ten years.
Mazánek is a graduate of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) and has worked as part of Czechoslovak, respectively, Czech diplomacy on missions in Laos, Thailand, and Lithuania. He also held the position of Consul General in Katowice and Shanghai.
This new appointment is a significant step in the Czech Republic’s diplomatic relations with Kosovo. It acknowledges the importance of building strong diplomatic ties and the Czech Republic’s support for Kosovo’s sovereignty.