MFA addresses speculation regarding recall of envoys

BELGRADE The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that since the formation of the new government, only two ambassadors have been recalled. At the same time, the term in office is drawing to a close for most of them whose recall is planned for the next period, the ministry said. MFA addresses speculation regarding recall of envoys Serbian Ambassador to France Dusan Batakovic has been recalled at his personal request for medical reasons, while Ambassador Jelica Kurjak "had served in Moscow since 200", the release reads. In the coming period, the ministry is planning to gradually recall certain number of heads of diplomatic and consular representative offices with an explanation that the term in office is drawing to a close for most of them, while some failed to achieve adequate professional results. "Although heads of diplomatic and consular representative offices regularly serve a four-year term in office, the decision on recall of certain ambassadors has yet to be delivered although they have been on duty longer than this period. The similar situation is with several consuls-general," the release underlines. In the coming period, the ministry is planning to gradually recall heads of diplomatic and consular representative offices whose term expires, and "one should take into account that over 30 ambassadors assumed the duty in 2009, and that their regular term expires during 2013," the ministry noted. Apart from that, the recall of several heads of diplomatic and consular representative offices is being planned as they have not achieved adequate professional results, the release adds. Citing unnamed sources, the Belgrade-based tabloid Blic has recently published that relevant officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are planning to relieve of duty the ambassadors and lower-ranking diplomats who were appointed by the Democratic Party (DS), and replace them with people who were close to the former president of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic and the Yugoslav Left, and added that this refers to over 30 ambassadors. The Ministry underscores that the biggest changes in diplomatic circles were made after the democratic changes of October 5, 2000. "Referring to the speculation about the alleged mass purges in diplomatic and consular representative offices, one should not disregard the fact that the biggest change of officials in diplomatic circles was introduced in 2001, when almost all ambassadors and consuls-general were replaced, as well as a large number of diplomatic officials at various levels," the ministry announced, noting that some of them were dismissed after that. During the term of former minister Vuk Draskovic, there were no so-called purges or dismissals, but quite the contrary, 117 diplomats, who had been previously "relieved of duty without any legal grounds", were returned to duty, the release notes. Serbia's incumbent Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic was among them, the release specifies. Tanjug

MFA addresses speculation regarding recall of envoys

Serbian Ambassador to France Dušan Bataković has been recalled at his personal request for medical reasons, while Ambassador Jelica Kurjak "had served in Moscow since 200", the release reads.

In the coming period, the ministry is planning to gradually recall certain number of heads of diplomatic and consular representative offices with an explanation that the term in office is drawing to a close for most of them, while some failed to achieve adequate professional results.

"Although heads of diplomatic and consular representative offices regularly serve a four-year term in office, the decision on recall of certain ambassadors has yet to be delivered although they have been on duty longer than this period. The similar situation is with several consuls-general," the release underlines.

In the coming period, the ministry is planning to gradually recall heads of diplomatic and consular representative offices whose term expires, and "one should take into account that over 30 ambassadors assumed the duty in 2009, and that their regular term expires during 2013," the ministry noted.

Apart from that, the recall of several heads of diplomatic and consular representative offices is being planned as they have not achieved adequate professional results, the release adds.

Citing unnamed sources, the Belgrade-based tabloid Blic has recently published that relevant officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are planning to relieve of duty the ambassadors and lower-ranking diplomats who were appointed by the Democratic Party (DS), and replace them with people who were close to the former president of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milošević and the Yugoslav Left, and added that this refers to over 30 ambassadors.

The Ministry underscores that the biggest changes in diplomatic circles were made after the democratic changes of October 5, 2000.

"Referring to the speculation about the alleged mass purges in diplomatic and consular representative offices, one should not disregard the fact that the biggest change of officials in diplomatic circles was introduced in 2001, when almost all ambassadors and consuls-general were replaced, as well as a large number of diplomatic officials at various levels," the ministry announced, noting that some of them were dismissed after that.

During the term of former minister Vuk Draskovic, there were no so-called purges or dismissals, but quite the contrary, 117 diplomats, who had been previously "relieved of duty without any legal grounds", were returned to duty, the release notes.

Serbia's incumbent Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkić was among them, the release specifies.