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The Senate Committee approves the candidacy of the new American ambassador to Albania

Politiko 2024-04-16 21:38:37

The Senate Committee approves the candidacy of the new American ambassador to

The Foreign Relations Committee of the US Senate approved on Tuesday the candidacy of diplomat David J. Kostelancik for the post of United States ambassador to Albania.

The White House reappointed Mr. Kostelancik this year as ambassador to Albania, thus restarting the process for considering the candidacy, since at the end of last year's legislative calendar, along with dozens of other appointments, it was not on the agenda. of the Senate for voting. The nominations were blocked by some Republican senators, a common practice in Washington political battles.

No second hearings are usually held for nominations sent back to the Senate. It is not yet known whether the Senate will consider the vote on his candidacy in the current legislative calendar and when it might happen. Last year, on March 30, during the hearing for the approval of his candidacy in the Foreign Relations Commission, Mr. Kostelancik presented his priorities as the future ambassador to Albania.

"If I am confirmed in this position, I will cooperate with Albania to strengthen democratic institutions and justice institutions. President Joe Biden has defined the fight against corruption and organized crime as part of our national strategy. This is a major challenge for the countries of the Western Balkans", said Mr. Kostelancik, emphasizing that the progress of the justice reform will help Albania's progress towards European integration.

Mr. Kostelancik is a career diplomat of the United States Foreign Service and has served in Albania even earlier, in the period 1992-1994, as the first representative for political and economic affairs in the newly opened embassy in Tirana. Prior to his appointment as ambassador to Albania, he served as a foreign policy advisor to the US Army Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley.

During his 30-year diplomatic career, Mr. Kostelancik served, among other things, as director of the office for Southern and Central Europe at the State Department. He has served twice in the American embassy in Moscow, in the American missions in OSCE and NATO, as well as in Ankara, Turkey. Originally from the state of Illinois, Mr. Kostelancik graduated from the Northwestern University of this state and speaks Russian, Hungarian, Albanian and Turkish. /voa/

 

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