Kosovo to Open 22 Embassies in 2009

Pristina – Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it will open some 22 new embassies in countries around the world in 2009.

In the Pristina daily newspaper ‘Zeri’, the ministry’s spokeswoman Albana Beqiri said these embassies will be set up by ambassadors, adding the that ministry will soon begin hiring personnel for these new missions. “The implementation of the law for Kosovo’s foreign services will open the way for calls for applications at all levels in our embassies,” said Beqiri.

The newly independent state has already set up diplomatic missions in ten countries, namely in Washington, London, Paris, Brussels, Bern, Rome, Ankara, Albania, Berlin and Vienna, though these missions were initially set up by attaches.

However, Zeri points out that the new missions are likely to face considerable obstacles, especially financial ones.

It revealed that the 25 million euros, set aside by the government for the Foreign Ministry to fund diplomatic missions, has not yet been transferred to the Foreign Ministry’s account.

Kosovo declared independence in February 17, 2008.