Embassies without ambassadors: What is happening with the foreign service?

05.11.2021

On Tuesday, November 2, D4D organized a salon discussion on the topic: “Embassies without ambassadors: What is happening with the foreign service?”

To discuss about this topic, D4D invited, Haki Abazi, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Teuta Sahatqija, former Consul General of Kosovo in New York and Emir Abrashi, Researcher at Democracy Plus. The discussion was moderated by, Fitim Gashi, Journalist at Grupi Koha.

Kosovo embassies have been without ambassadors for a period of five months. In order to address this issue, D4D organized a salon discussion to discuss about the Kosovo’s foreign policy challenges.

Haki Abazi, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, assessed that foreign policy should have a strong foundation that comes from domestic developments. He stressed that Kosovo’s foreign service has done a good job so far, but more should be done.

On the other hand, Teuta Sahatqija, former Consul General of Kosovo in New York, stressed that she is disappointed with the work of the current government in foreign policy. She also stated that foreign policy should be bipartisan and should not be used for domestic political consumption. She further assessed that the collective sacking of ambassadors’ harms Kosovo internationally and that they shouldn’t been fired without a replacement.

Emir Abrashi, a researcher at Democracy Plus, added that reforms in the foreign service are necessary. During the past few years, foreign policy has encountered various technical and political difficulties. There is room for criticism, especially the dismissal of 12 ambassadors because they were politically appointed. He stated that it is political immature to leave all those embassies unrepresented. This sends a very bad message to Kosovo in the world.

The full discussion of this salon can be seen at LINK

This salon was supported by Open Society Foundations.

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