Bohumil Mazánek, a senior diplomat, has been designated as the Czech Republic’s extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Kosovo, marking a historic moment as the first-ever official envoy to the region. This appointment comes after the long-awaited ratification of a double taxation treaty with Kosovo.
The ratification process of the treaty in the Czech Republic spanned nearly a decade, primarily due to disagreements among some deputies regarding the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state, particularly during the last two election cycles. The House of Representatives debated the contract three times, and finally, in 2014, the Senate passed it, but it took an additional four years for its final approval, which happened this June.
Kosovo, a former province of southern Serbia, declared its independence in 2008. The Czech government recognized Kosovo’s sovereignty that same year, and their official stance has remained consistent since, despite former president Miloš Zeman’s proposition to withdraw international recognition. While over 100 countries gradually acknowledged Kosovo’s statehood, a few later reversed their decisions.
