Sources: New EU head to revive dialogue with Ukraine
Jan Tombinski
(bruxelles2.eu)
Poland’s Jan Tombinski will this summer replace Portugal’s Jose Manuel Pinto Teixeira as head of the European Union delegation in Ukraine, EU officials revealed on May 16.
Teixeira became known for his sharp public criticism, which often irritated Ukrainian officials, raising questions of whether the approach of Tombinski will be closer to Polish diplomats’ conciliatory tone and aversion to any remarks critical of Ukraine’s government.
Wojciech Kononczuk at the Warsaw-based Center for Eastern Studies emphasized Tombinski would represent the EU, not Poland, and the choice should rather be linked to his heavyweight record in Brussels. After working at the Polish Embassy in Prague, Tombinski served as ambassador to Slovenia, Bosnia Herzegovina and France. Since February 2007, he represented Poland in Brussels.
“I would rather see it as a strengthening of the local EU outfit,” he said.
Insiders said Tombinski is likely to keep all “channels of communication open,” seeking to improve relations that have soured between Kyiv and Brussels over the jailing of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. But he would not hesitate to publicly criticize the situation in Ukraine when warranted, a source added.
The father of 10 children, Tombinski speaks fluent English, French, German, Slovenian and Czech.
Kyiv Post staff writer Jakub Parusinski can be reached at parusinski@kyivpost.com.