Miroslav Lajcák
Encyclopedia
Dr. Miroslav Lajčák is a Slovak
diplomat.
Lajčák is a law graduate from the Comenius University in Bratislava
. He holds a Ph.D.
in international relations
from the State Institute of International Relations in Moscow
and is also a graduate of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
, Germany
.
He joined the Czechoslovak foreign ministry in 1988. Between 1991 and 1993 Lajčák was posted to the Czechoslovak and subsequently the Slovak
embassy in Moscow. Lajčák was Slovakia’s ambassador to Japan
between 1994 and 1998. Between 1993 and 1994 he served as the chef de cabinet of Slovakia’s then Foreign Minister and later Prime Minister, Jozef Moravčík
. Between 2001 and 2005, Lajčák was based in Belgrade
as Slovakia’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (later Serbia and Montenegro
), Albania
and the Republic of Macedonia
. He was the EU's supervisor to the 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum
.
On 30 June 2007 Lajčák became the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina
/EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina succeeding Christian Schwarz-Schilling
to the post. He kept this post until March 2009.
On 16 December 2007 he received the Person of the Year award from one of the largest Bosnian dailies "Nezavisne novine". Two weeks later, on 28 December, he was awarded the same title by another Bosnian daily "Dnevni Avaz".
On January 26, 2009 Lajčák became the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, until July 2010.
In December 2010 he was appointed as Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans in the EU's External Action Service
.
He is fluent in English
, German
, Russian
, Bulgarian
, as well as Serbian
, Bosnian
and Croatian
languages. Lajčák's second wife Jarmila Lajčáková-Hargašová is a TV news presenter.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
diplomat.
Lajčák is a law graduate from the Comenius University in Bratislava
Comenius University in Bratislava
Comenius University in Bratislava is the largest university in Slovakia, with most of its faculties located in Bratislava. It was founded in 1919, shortly after the creation of Czechoslovakia. It is named after Jan Amos Comenius, a 17th century Czech teacher and philosopher.In 2006, Comenius...
. He holds a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
from the State Institute of International Relations in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and is also a graduate of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
He joined the Czechoslovak foreign ministry in 1988. Between 1991 and 1993 Lajčák was posted to the Czechoslovak and subsequently the Slovak
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
embassy in Moscow. Lajčák was Slovakia’s ambassador to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
between 1994 and 1998. Between 1993 and 1994 he served as the chef de cabinet of Slovakia’s then Foreign Minister and later Prime Minister, Jozef Moravčík
Jozef Moravcík
Jozef Moravčík is a Slovak diplomat and political figure. He served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia from 16 March 1994 to 13 December 1994, and later as the Mayor of Bratislava.- References :*...
. Between 2001 and 2005, Lajčák was based in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
as Slovakia’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (later Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
), Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. He was the EU's supervisor to the 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum
Montenegrin independence referendum, 2006
The Montenegrin independence referendum was a referendum on the independence of the Republic of Montenegro from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro that was held on 21 May 2006.The total turnout of the referendum was 86.5%...
.
On 30 June 2007 Lajčák became the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina
High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina
The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was created in 1995 immediately after the Dayton Peace Agreement to oversee the civilian implementation of this agreement. The High Representative and the OHR represent the...
/EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina succeeding Christian Schwarz-Schilling
Christian Schwarz-Schilling
Dr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling , is a German politician and entrepreneur. He is the son of the composer Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling and is married to the author Marie-Luise Schwarz-Schilling with whom he has two children...
to the post. He kept this post until March 2009.
On 16 December 2007 he received the Person of the Year award from one of the largest Bosnian dailies "Nezavisne novine". Two weeks later, on 28 December, he was awarded the same title by another Bosnian daily "Dnevni Avaz".
On January 26, 2009 Lajčák became the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, until July 2010.
In December 2010 he was appointed as Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans in the EU's External Action Service
European External Action Service
The European External Action Service is a European Union department that was established following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009...
.
He is fluent in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, Bulgarian
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
, as well as Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
, Bosnian
Bosnian language
Bosnian is a South Slavic language, spoken by Bosniaks. As a standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect, it is one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
and Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
languages. Lajčák's second wife Jarmila Lajčáková-Hargašová is a TV news presenter.