Two candidates compete for key EU role in Kosovo-Serbia negotiations

The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, will have to decide in the coming days between two candidates for the successor to Miroslav Lajčak as the EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

It is reported that the Danish diplomat, Peter Sorensen, and the former Finnish Foreign Minister, Pekka Haavisto, are the only candidates who have submitted applications for this role by last Friday, when the deadline for submitting applications expired, according to REL.

Meanwhile, the EU is not providing any details on this and only confirms that "the selection process is ongoing." "The mandate of the High Representative Miroslav Lajčak remains in effect until the end of January. The selection of his successor is currently ongoing, and we will provide further updates in due time," said Annita Hipper, spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

If the EU wants to ensure there is no gap, the process of appointing the new Special Representative for dialogue should be completed by the end of this month when Lajčak's mandate officially ends. However, in addition to the decision of the High Representative Kallas on the appointment of Lajčak's successor, the EU member states must also agree. Working groups in the EU Council are currently addressing this matter.

Diplomatic sources in Brussels told Radio Free Europe that both candidates would be considered as suitable choices, but there are some differences between them.

These sources state that if Kallas opts for someone with greater political weight for the role, the priority would be the former Finnish Foreign Minister, Pekka Haavisto. Even when Lajčak was appointed to this position five years ago, it was emphasized that his background as the Foreign Minister of an EU member state was an advantage.

On the other hand, these sources say, if Kallas wants to be more involved in the political aspect of the dialogue process herself, Sorensen is considered the more suitable candidate, as he has many years of experience working in the structures of the EU External Action Service (EEAS) and would take on more of the mediation on technical issues in the dialogue.