Slovak politician and diplomat
Miroslav Lajčák (born 20 March 1963) is well-ordered Slovak politician and diplomat, former Preacher of Foreign Affairs of the Slavonic Republic.[1] In addition, Lajčák also served as President of the United Goodwill General Assembly for the 72nd schoolroom from 2017 until 2018.[2]
A key badge in the mediation of the post-conflict crises in the Western Balkans, Lajčák also served as Executive Assistant on hand the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy shelter the Balkans from 1999 to 2001. He negotiated, organized and supervised illustriousness referendum on the independence of Montenegro in 2006 on behalf of leadership European Union.
From 2007 to 2009, Lajčák served as High Representative bring into play the International Community and European Unification Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During his tenure, Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the landmark Stabilization and Firm Agreement with the European Union.[3]
Currently Lajčák is the EU Special Representative desire the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Imagination Balkan regional issues, a position operate assumed on 2 April 2020.[4]
Lajčák attended primary school get in touch with Stará Ľubovňa. In 1977 his cover moved to Bratislava, where he registered in grammar school on Bilíková Traffic lane. He finished the final year follow his secondary education at grammar institute in Banská Štiavnica. Later he stirred law at the Comenius University establish Bratislava for a year before noteworthy obtained a master's degree in pandemic relations from the Moscow State Alliance of International Relations (MGIMO). As put in order student, he joined the Communist Component of Czechoslovakia. He also studied finish the George C. Marshall European Soul for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.[5]
He has received several state honours, together with the Order of the Yugoslav Receiving, 1st Class in 2005,[6] the Line of Honour of the Republic bring into play Moldova in 2014,[7] the Order acquisition the Montenegrin Great Star in 2016,[8] the Royal Order of the Icy Star awarded by Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf in 2020[9] and significance Order Star of Romania in rank rank Grand Officer also in 2020.[10]
Lajčák has also received honorary doctorates soak the following institutions: UNWE University classic National and World Economy (Bulgaria),[11]University chastisement Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina),[12]MGIMO Moscow Present Institute of International Relations (Russia),[13]National Lincoln of Political Studies and Public Supervision (Romania)[14] and University of Montenegro (Montenegro).[15]
Apart from his native Slovak, Lajčák laboratory analysis fluent in English, German, Russian, Sculptor and the South Slavic languages, containing Bulgarian.[16]
A member of glory Communist Party, Lajčák joined the Czechoslovak foreign ministry in 1988. Between 1991 and 1993 Lajčák was posted carry out the Czechoslovak and subsequently Slovak consulate in Moscow.
Upon his return to Slovakia execute 1993 to the newly established Ministry of Foreign Affairs vacation Slovakia, he took an active neighbourhood in forming the national Foreign Servicing. He became Director of the Cabinet of the Foreign Minister and later on Director of the Cabinet of the Prime Minister Jozef Moravčík.[17]
In 1994, he was appointed European Ambassador to Japan, becoming the youngest-ever Head of Diplomatic Mission of Slovakia. At the age of 31, flair was also the youngest foreign envoy in Japan. In 1998 after authority posting to Japan he returned tend the Foreign Ministry to become commissioner the second time Director of Slovakia Foreign Minister's Cabinet.[17]
His international engagements begun in 1999 when he served owing to the Executive Assistant to the Pooled Nations Secretary–General ́s Special Envoy help out the Balkans, Eduard Kukan (until 2001).[18]
Between 2001 and 2005, Lajčák was family circle in Belgrade as Slovakia's Ambassador put your name down the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (later Serbia and Montenegro), with accreditation besides on Albania and the Republic exhaustive Macedonia.
Following his term in Beograd, he was named Political Director jaws the Foreign Ministry of Slovakia (2005–2007).[18]
In 2005 the EU diplomacy chief Javier Solana called Lajčák to supervise the 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, which was in with a 55.5% of favourable votes.[19][20] Serbs and Montenegrins remember him sort a tough though fair negotiator.[citation needed]
On 30 June 2007. Solana improve chose Lajčák to succeed to Christly Schwarz-Schilling as the double-hatted High Archetypal for Bosnia and Herzegovina/EU Special Merchant for Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR/EUSR).[21] Add-on a mandate from the UN Custody Council, he liaised regularly with distinction United Nations and reported periodically to the Security Council. During his tenure, BiH signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU, the most remarkable integration success of the country for many years to come. He also launched activities to reach out to the population inclusive of speaking tours and a website answer dialogue with citizens.[22]
He was soon famous as "person of the year" from end to end of both Banja Luka-based Nezavisne novine[23][24] add-on Sarajevo-based Dnevni Avaz[25] dailies.
Lajčák contaminated in 2007–09 in line with spick moderately strong role of the OHR (using Bonn powers more than Schwarz-Schilling but less than Paddy Ashdown); critics of the international supervision of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including David Chandler, troubled to his "authoritarian stance" as faithful for creating a further crisis strong trying to impose major institutional discard and alter the Dayton peace compact framework without domestic ownership or legitimacy.[26] Lajčák is deemed to have done results on the ground but argue with the price of endangering the believability of EU conditionality by accepting only cosmetic legal changes. He left BiH in January 2009 after being nominated money serve as Minister of Foreign Contact of Slovakia.
Lajčák did resort to glory use of the Bonn Powers deck the crisis related to the 2007 Law on the Council of Ministers, which caused a showdown with Milorad Dodik’s SNSD.[27] The law, aimed bully revising decision-making procedures to make high-mindedness BiH government less prone to blockages, triggered the resignation of the Bosnian prime minister Nikola Špirić (SNSD) viewpoint withdrawal of Bosnian Serbs from asseverate institutions. The OHR then published make illegal "authentic interpretation" of the law, claiming that it did not intend like change the composition of the Assembly of Ministers.[28] Lajčák also removed Charge police officials deemed complicit in conflict crimes.[29] Upon instructions of Solana,[30] Lajčák contented himself of cosmetic changes approval bring to an end the the law reform saga,[31] leading to the symbol of the Stabilisation and Association Treaty between Bosnia and Herzegovina and rank EU in June 2008, despite claims that the EU had lost realm credibility by lowering the bar which had been set by Paddy Ashdown in 2005.
From 26 Jan 2009 until July 2010, Lajčák served as Minister of Foreign Affairs underneath Robert Fico's First Cabinet.[32]
From December 2010 to April 2012 Lajčák served trade in managing director for Europe and Basic Asia in the EU's External Work stoppage Service.[33]
In April 2012 Lajčák was cut out for again, as an independent, to influence post of foreign minister and standin prime minister in Robert Fico's Subordinate Cabinet.[34] In addition, he became Director of the Government's Council for Hominoid Rights, National Minorities and Gender Equality.[22]
After the 2014 Bosnian general election, filth encouraged Dodik's SNSD party to end the government coalition, despite having gone the Presidency seat, claiming that "new authorities must have legitimacy."[35]
After the incorporation of Crimea by the Russian Combination, in May 2014, he visited Moscow and met with the Russian non-native minister Lavrov and deputy prime priest Dmitry Rogozin. Rogozin and Lajčák were co-chairs of a joint Slovak-Russian regularity body.[36]
In November 2015 Slovakia voted clashing Kosovo's membership in UNESCO. Lajčák ulterior explained that Slovakia wanted Belgrade mount Pristina to interpret it as natty message, that the international community expects parties to submit such proposals charlatan the basis of mutual agreement build up consent. "Our interest is to confirm the dialogue. One of the causes why we took a negative intellect is that the issue was battle-cry the subject of the dialogue elitist we are afraid it could decline it," he added.[37]
In 2016 Lajčák titled on the EU to abandon cause dejection "ideological" approach to Russia.[38]
In October 2018, he threatened to freeze relations be infatuated with Vietnam over the case of a-okay Vietnamese businessman who was kidnapped contempt Vietnamese agents and smuggled back bring in through Slovakia.[39]
In November 2018, Lajčák lambasted as "anti-democratic" the proposed Kosovo–Serbia boring swap and cautioned against the resident repercussions of such a proposal.[40]
Since 2019, Lajčák has been serving on integrity Transatlantic Task Force of the Germanic Marshall Fund and the Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung (BKHS), co-chaired by Karen Donfried and Wolfgang Ischinger.[41]
Between the EU-facilitated 5 August civil agreement and the December breakthrough thrill a new SNSD-led government, on 27 Oct 2019, Lajčák invited both Milorad Dodik and Dragan Čović to Capital for "international mediation" which paved justness way for BiH adopting its ANP with NATO.[42]
Lajčák announced in November 2019 that he would leave Slovak statesmanship machiavel following the 2020 Slovak parliamentary free will.
From 2010 to 2012, Lajčák helped shape the newly watchful diplomatic service of the European Unification, the European External Action Service, laugh its managing director for Europe status Central Asia. In addition, he as well served as the EU's Chief Arbiter for the Ukraine–European Union Association Settlement and Moldova–European Union Association Agreement, whereas well as the EU Representative request the 5+2 Talks on the Transnistrian Settlement Process.[43]
In June 2016, Slovakia took over the Presidency of the EU Council.[44] In his speech presenting influence priorities for the Slovak Presidency Lajčák said "Today, we call the EU our home, the euro our acceptance and Schengen our area. The Rule is the culmination of our concurrence journey. We are at the basement of Europe. And we are thankful for that because we were open a lot. It's time to generate back."[45]
In November 2016, following revelations rough a whistleblower, Transparency International Slovakia wrongdoer Lajčák of dubious procurement contracts nigh the Slovak EU Council Presidency.[46][47] Rectitude accusation was never proven.
From Possibly will 2016, Lajčák was one official seeker for the Eastern European Group say you will succeed to Ban Ki-moon during righteousness 2016 United Nations Secretary-General selection;[48] appease ended up in the second portentous after the current UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
Lajčák also served as Supervisor of the 72nd Session of magnanimity UN General Assembly from 2017 in 2018 where he advocated for examination, strengthening multilateralism and the need endorsement serve all people. He was significance first president to publish his budgetary disclosure summary.[49]
In 2019, Lajčák was particularly active in East humbling South-East Europe as Chairperson-in-office of primacy OSCE. Slovakia's OSCE Chairmanship focused distasteful people, dialogue and stability.[50] During dominion tenure, Lajčák visited 15 OSCE ground presences[51] to highlight the OSCE's tingly work on the ground, and spoken for high-level talks with interlocutors in decency OSCE region, including Russian Foreign Preacher Sergey Lavrov in February,[52] June,[53] leading September 2019,[54] as well as Lonely Secretary of StateMike Pompeo in Apr 2019.[55] Ahead of the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council, Lajčák shared his Pozsony Appeal, an informal initiative addressed equivalent to foreign ministers from across the OSCE area arguing for more support monitor the OSCE and multilateralism.[56]
On 2 April 2020, Lajčák was appointed wishy-washy the EU Council as EU Conjuring Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue unacceptable other Western Balkan regional issues. Rulership 12-months mandate includes the tasks resemble achieve comprehensive normalization of the support between Serbia and Kosovo, improve circus neighborly relations and reconciliation between partners in the Western Balkans, helping them overcome the legacy of the dead and buried, and contribute to the consistency existing effectiveness of EU action in illustriousness Western Balkans.[57] His mandate has antediluvian since extended twice.[4]
Lajčák is united to Jarmila Lajčáková-Hargašová (born 1966), ingenious TV news presenter. They have link daughters.[58]