The Czech Republic will send its ambassador to Pristina for the first time, 15 years after recognizing Kosovo’s independence, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday.

President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, has appointed Bohumil Mazanek as ambassador to Kosovo, at the proposal of the Government.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic explained to Radio Free Europe that until now, the diplomatic mission was headed by the “charged officer”, while now the ambassador has been appointed.

The government of former Prime Minister Mirko Topolanek recognized the independence of Kosovo in the year of its declaration in 2008.

While the position of the Czech state regarding independence has never changed, the two past presidents of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus and Miloš Zeman, had not appointed a Czech ambassador to Kosovo, and the latter had even proposed withdrawing recognition.

Petr Pavel, former head of the Czech army and senior NATO official, began a five-year term as president of the Czech Republic on March 9.

The ambassador-designate, Mazanek, is one of the Czech diplomats with a degree from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, and has so far served as ambassador to Lithuania, chargé d’affaires in Thailand and consul general in China and Poland.