Franco Frattini Passed the Mandate. Who Is the New OSCE Special Representative for the Transdniestrian Settlement

Transnistrian settlement will remain among the priorities of the Albanian chairmanship in the OSCE. This was stated in Vienna on January 9 by the current head of the OSCE, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. The Austrian diplomat Thomas Mayr-Harting became the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Transdniestrian settlement. He succeeded the Italian diplomat Franco Frattini, who had been in office for two years. At the meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna the Prime Minister, Minister for European and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Edi Rama, presented the priorities of the Albanian chairmanship within the organization. He assured that efforts to resolve conflicts, including the Transdniestrian settlement process, will be on the top of the agenda. The Albanian Chairmanship will be held under the motto “Let’s fulfill our obligations together.” The Austrian diplomat Thomas Meyer-Harting became the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the Transdniestrian settlement. He replaced the former Foreign Minister of Italy, Franco Frattini, who performed these duties for two consecutive years - during the OSCE Chairmanship of Italy and Slovakia. Mayer Harting has previously participated in the Transdniestrian settlement process. He was the Director of the European Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Europe and Central Asia and represented the EU in the 5 + 2 negotiation format. Recall that from January 1, 2020, the OSCE chairmanship passed from Slovakia to Albania.