Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS) has published a Policy Report which thoroughly assesses the performance of Samuel Zbogar, the EU Special Representative in Kosovo throughout his first two mandates. He is the highest-ranking European Union official on the ground in Kosovo. He manages the distribution of tens of millions of Euros for Kosovo’s progress towards the EU. He heads an office that advises on every piece of Kosovo legislation to ensure that it is in line with European standards. He handles the day-to-day implementation of the fragile dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia on the Kosovo side. He mediates between Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs, between disparate EU member states and between the EU and third parties. As the EU Special Representative to Kosovo, Samuel Žbogar is the most important international official in Kosovo. This report looks at the background of his position, the Special Representative, and where it fits in the Kosovo context. It also considers how he came to be the Special Representative in Kosovo and examines his mandate in depth. The report also discusses the two aspects of his mandate: coordinating the EU presence in Kosovo and ensuring Kosovo’s European path, before concluding and giving recommendations for the Special Representative and the EU. Overall, the report gives a positive evaluation of the Special Representative, as his outreach to minorities, his advocacy on Kosovo’s behalf in the EU and aid to Kosovo’s legislative process, among other actions, far outweigh the problems present in a sometimes timid approach to local politics and sporadic communication breakdowns with the member states. To access the report, please click here.