Gabriele Meucci appointed new EULEX chief

PRISTINA - Italia's Gabriele Meucci has been appointed as the new EULEX chief, the EU Mission in Kosovo released.

Meucci will take over the duty from Bernd Borhart on October 15 and his mandate will last until June 14, 2015. The decision on his appointment was adopted by the EU Political and Security Committee.

Borhart held office as the EULEX chief since February 1, 2013.

Meucci graduated from the Faculty of Law and the School of Diplomacy and International Relations in Milan, and he also completed a course on diplomacy at the University of Bologna.

He worked in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1991.

In the period from 1991 to 1995, Meucci held office as the consul in Split where the headquarters of the Italian Aid Service for former Yugoslavia are based.

After this, he served in Ottawa and Tirana and in the period from 2006 to 2009 he held office as the Italian ambassador in Montenegro. In the period 2009-2013, he was the first advisor in Berlin.

Since January 2014, he held office as the authorised minister for the EU in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department for Italian chairmanship.

Meucci is fluent in English, French, German and Serbian.

The EULEX chief role is embodied in the provision of assistance and support to the Kosovo government in the area of rule of law, especially concerning the police, judiciary and customs service.

The mission is currently undergoing a restructuring process and key tasks are being transferred to the local government and other EU bodies in keeping with the decision of the European Council.

Photo Tanjug, Boki (illustration, archive)