The US President, Joe Biden, has re-nominated David J. Kostelancik for ambassador to Albania a few days after his candidacy was rejected by the US Senate.

At the beginning of this year, the US Senate did not approve the appointment of David Kostelancik as the ambassador of the United States of America to Albania.

President Biden appointed Kostalanic as US ambassador to Tirana in January 2023, but the Senate asked Biden to approve a new candidate.

David Kostelancik is a long-serving diplomat at the State Department.

Kostelancik has served twice as ambassador to Russia and deputy ambassador to Hungary. In the SD he headed the office for Southern Europe as well as the office for Russia.

The choice of a diplomat expert in Russian affairs from the State Department as ambassador in Tirana is not accidental and comes at a time when Russia’s attempts to destabilize the Balkan region are present.

By bringing to the region an expert on Russian affairs, SD accomplishes what it could not do by sending to Albania the nominee for ambassador Kathleen Ann Kavalec, whose place was taken by Ambassador Yuri Kim.