Slovakia, one of the five European Union countries that have not recognized Kosovo, has decided to close its Liaison Office in Kosovo, a quarter-century after its opening. The Government of Kosovo has not yet commented on this decision by the Slovak Government, Ekonomia Online reports.
“By the decision of the Slovak Government, the Liaison Office of the Slovak Republic in Pristina will be closed by December 31, 2024, due to the reorganization of the diplomatic network and budget cuts,” the statement from the Communication Department of Slovakia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads.
The decision to close the office in Pristina was made last month after Prime Minister Robert Fico’s cabinet launched a program to reshape Slovak institutions and foreign policy.
Gezim Visoka, a professor in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Dublin City University in Ireland, said that the closure of the office is not a good sign for Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
“The closure of Slovakia’s Liaison Office in Pristina should not be alarming news. However, given that Slovakia has not recognized Kosovo and has a foreign policy aligned with Serbia on Kosovo, the region, and the war in Ukraine, the closure of the office is not a good signal,” Visoka said.
He added that the closure at this time could also be seen as a reluctance to recognize Kosovo.
Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Juraj Blanar, recently visited Belgrade, where he emphasized that Slovakia’s position on Kosovo had not changed, stressing that Serbia and Slovakia share common values, such as respect for international law and territorial integrity, which is guaranteed by international law.
“This is something fundamental and unchangeable, and it is our position. This is a continuous stance toward all those who violate international law. Even when it concerns our friends from the Alliance or other communities, we must always remain principled. Our position on Kosovo is unchanged. It is a violation of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia. For this reason, the Slovak Republic, like many other countries, does not recognize Kosovo. However, on the other hand, we agree to support intensive dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, as we strongly support Serbia regarding the integration of Western Balkan countries. We are members of the Friends of the Western Balkans and want to help accelerate the integration of these countries, especially Serbia, as a very important state in the Western Balkans, much faster than is currently the case,” Slovakia’s Foreign Minister said.
