Slovak diplomat Miroslav Lajcak will take office as European Union Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and for the Western Balkans later this week, Radio Free Europe reported on Tuesday.

RFE said that it was granted access to a document which shows that Lajcak will begin his one-year term in office on April 2 a day after EU member state ambassadors are due to confirm his appointment as nominated by EU High Representative Josep Borrell.  

The document says that Lajcak’s main job is to reach a comprehensive normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo with a legally binding agreement that would resolve all open questions between the two sides in line with international law and contribute to regional stability.  

The former Slovak Foreign Minister served as his country’s ambassador in Belgrade and High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was also the EU envoy monitoring the referendum on Montenegro’s independence.  Lajcak’s appointment met with opposition from Kosovo President Hashim Thaci who accused him of preventing Slovakia from recognizing Kosovo.  

RFE recalled that Serbia and Kosovo both aspire to membership in the EU which has set the normalization of their relations as a condition for accession to the Union.