"25 ambassadors, consuls to be appointed"

"25 ambassadors, consuls to be appointed"

"I was told that it was a dozen, but when I considered the situation - if we add those posts that are empty and those diplomats whose mandates are expiring - it's about 25 ambassadors and consuls that will have to be appointed," said Dačić, and added:

"That's a big number, it means that we now operate without a quarter, maybe a third of the people who should head those diplomatic offices."

Serbia is currently without appointed ambassadors to the United States, Germany, China, Greece - which until recently presided over the EU - Portugal, and other countries. According to media reports, some of these positions will be given to well-known figures from the world of politics, such as Oliver Antić and Milan Bačević.

"If you do not have your ambassador for a year or two in a country that you consider important, then it's a message to that country and then people do not take you seriously. We want to, in the best possible way, through quality selection and people who have some influence in our country, who will go there (abroad), strengthen our foreign policy influence," said Dačić.

When two years ago a new ruling coalition took over, the government of the time wanted career diplomats to be given a chance and was in favor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs relying on them. In the meantime, it appears that there has been a policy change and that it was decided key posts must be held by those who are familiar with diplomacy, but that ambassadors should be close to the authorities.

"Symbolically, it is important that these centers receive ambassadors, bearing in mind the importance that these countries have for us, and it signals the need to develop bilateral relations at the highest level. It is obvious that political agreements have not been finalized on this topic, and therefore this process has been significantly delayed. Neither this government nor the previous ones were able to, so to speak, resist to have retired personnel as potential personnel in countries of our foreign policy priority," says Aleksandra Joksimović, from the Center for Foreign Policy.

"International relations are undergoing a dramatic upheaval, diplomacy must adjust to the moment, but it is important that clear messages are arriving from Serbia. Only clear messages can be effective," Joksimović concluded.