Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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670. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he plans to open an embassy in either Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Montenegro; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33385/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In June 2018, the Government launched the Global Ireland initiative, whichaims to double the influence and impact of Ireland’s global footprint by 2025. To date ten new Missions have opened. In considering expansion of the Diplomatic Network, a wide range of foreign policy factors and priorities will be taken into account as well as the availability of resources. At this stage, there are no plans to open an Embassy in the Western Balkans. The Government is conscious of the factors that might warrant the opening of new Missions in a number of countries in the region and will keep the matter under active review.

The countries in the Western Balkans are covered currently by neighbouring missions in Athens, Budapest, Ljubljana and Bucharest. Irish diplomats from these Missions continue to regularly visit and engage with key figures in the Western Balkans, and cooperate closely with the respective EU Delegations in each capital.

Ireland firmly believes in the unequivocal European perspective of the Western Balkans, and recognises that the security and prosperity of the Western Balkans is intrinsically linked to stability and economic prosperity in the wider region and in the EU as a whole. For that reason, we remain strong supporters of the accession process, which is the best way to anchor long-term stability in the region.