Dismissed Germany’s Special Representative for the Western Balkans

The new German Federal Government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Mertz, has decided to significantly reduce the number of commissioners, special representatives and coordinators. Among the positions that will be abolished is the function of the German government’s special envoy to the Western Balkans.

According to a Bild resolution document, the government plans to abolish a total of 25 positions at its first session. The decision covers a wide range of positions, including special representatives for international climate policy, migration agreements, as well as various coordinators for transport and information technology.

In 2022, the German government appointed Manuel Sarazine as a German Special Representative for the Western Balkans.

It is particularly important that Germany will no longer have a special representative for the Western Balkans, indicating changes in the country’s approach to the region. So far, this function has played an important role in monitoring political and economic processes in the Balkans and has been strong support for the European perspective of countries in the region.

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that in the future the tasks of the dismissed officials will be taken over by the competent ministries. This, according to the government, will provide more efficient and centralized management without additional bureaucracy.

The new rules provide that the new positions of commissioners can only be introduced by cabinet decision or by decree of the federal chancellor, except in cases where it is prescribed by law.